Already a subscriber? Make sure to log into your account before viewing this content. You can access your account by hitting the “login” button on the top right corner. Still unable to see the content after signing in? Make sure your card on file is up-to-date.
The House task force investigating the July 13 assassination attempt on former President Trump has said that the assassination attempt on Trump was “preventable.”
Let’s bring you up to speed: Days after an assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania, a bipartisan task force was established to investigate the security failures that allowed the attack to happen. The panel is tasked with examining the inadequate coordination between the Secret Service and local law enforcement, focusing on how the gunman, Thomas Matthew Crooks, managed to breach security and fire at Trump, nearly killing him. The task force is conducting interviews, gathering evidence, and issuing subpoenas to understand the security breakdown and recommend measures to prevent similar incidents. A final report of their findings is expected by December 13, 2024.
What the task force said: In a report released by the task force, they wrote, “The information obtained during the first phase of the Task Force’s investigation clearly shows a lack of planning and coordination between the Secret Service and its law enforcement partners before the rally. For instance, USSS did not give clear guidance to the relevant state and local agencies about managing areas outside the secure event perimeter, and there was no joint meeting on the day of the rally between USSS and all state and local law enforcement agencies assisting USSS.”
They continued, “Put simply, the evidence obtained by the Task Force to date shows the tragic and shocking events of July 13 were preventable and should not have happened.”
Another takeaway: The report also highlighted failures to stop Crooks from making his way onto the roof of American Glass Research (AGR). They wrote, “The information obtained by the Task Force also shows areas outside the secure perimeter were recognized as security risks—specifically the adjacent AGR property and building complex. Despite its proximity to a main road, clear sight lines to the stage, and elevated position, the Secret Service placed the AGR complex outside the secure perimeter for the event, meaning that the crowd that gathered there was not screened by USSS or other law enforcement. The consequences of that decision were compounded by the fact that state and local law enforcement posted near the complex did not have complete visual coverage of the area. While there was a local sniper team inside the AGR complex, they understood their assignment to be overwatch of the rally site—not securing the AGR roof and property. Accordingly, the local sniper teams inside the AGR complex had a narrow field of vision and were not positioned to monitor the areas where the shooter, Thomas Matthew Crooks, was spotted on the afternoon of July 13. Indeed, federal, state, and local law enforcement officers could have engaged Thomas Matthew Crooks at several pivotal moments.”
