Acting Secret Service denies agents knew of would-be assassin’s perch on roof, says he’s ‘ashamed’ of Trump rally shooting security gaps
Secret Service acting director Ronald Rowe, in a joint congressional hearing Tuesday, admitted he was “ashamed” of security lapses that nearly led to the assassination of former President Donald Trump — revealing that agents were not aware of the shooter perched on a nearby building with a clear line of sight of the main stage.
Rowe, who was elevated to the position last week following the resignation of his boss, former Director Kimberly Cheatle, said the July 13 shooting at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania was “a failure on multiple levels” during testimony before the Senate Judiciary and Homeland Security committees.
He added that he has since visited the Butler Farm Show grounds, where he “identified gaps in our security” and instituted “corrective actions” to prevent another shooter like Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, from opening fire at Trump or any Secret Service protectee.
“I laid in a prone position to evaluate his line of sight,” Rowe told members of both committees in his opening remarks. “What I saw made me ashamed.”
“As a career law enforcement officer, and a 25-year veteran with the Secret Service, I cannot defend why that roof was not better secured,” he confessed.
“Based on what I know right now, neither the Secret Service counter-sniper teams nor members of the former president’s security detail had any knowledge that there was a man on the roof of the AGR building with a firearm,” Rowe also revealed.
“It is my understanding those personnel were not aware the assailant had a firearm until they heard gunshots,” he said. “Prior to that, they were operating with the knowledge that local law enforcement was working an issue of a suspicious individual prior to the shots being fired.”
Crucial timeframe
The Secret Service command post was informed of the “suspicious” person about 25 minutes ahead of the shooting – but “lost sight” of him between 6:02 and 6:08 p.m., FBI deputy director Paul Abbate also told committee members.
Within that crucial timeframe, Crooks clambered on top of the AGR International Inc. building at 6:06 p.m.
Here’s the latest on the assassination attempt against Donald Trump:
- Newly surfaced texts show Trump rally gunman was on authorities’ radar more than 90 minutes before shooting: report
- FBI to conduct victim interview with Donald Trump after assassination attempt
- Trump promises more outdoor rallies despite Secret Service warning after assassination attempt
- Ex-Trump doc says FBI’s Wray is ‘wrong’ to doubt ex-prez was struck by bullet: ‘Absolutely no evidence’
- Trump defends female Secret Service agent who was criticized after assassination attempt: ‘So brave’
At 6:11 p.m., a police officer from Butler County climbed onto the manufacturing building, saw Crooks and “radioed” that he was armed with “a long gun.”
Thirty seconds later, Crooks began shooting.
Though a Secret Service counter sniper killed him within seconds, Crooks was still able to fire eight shots, striking Trump in the right ear, killing rallygoer Corey Comperatore and wounding two others, David Dutch and James Copenhaver.
CYA
The testimony comes as the Secret Services faces multiple reviews of the shooting and deals with internal strife in the aftermath of the near-assassination.
On Monday night, a Secret Service counter-sniper gave a stark warning that the agency “SHOULD expect another assassination attempt” in an email to the agency’s Uniformed Division, a source confirmed to The Post.
The counter-sniper also asserted that agency’s motto is apparently “CYA” following the security breach.
