A newly released U.S. Senate report reveals major security lapses by the Secret Service during the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump by Thomas Matthew Crooks in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13. The report, issued Wednesday, confirms that the Secret Service was aware of Crooks’ presence on a nearby building for 27 minutes before he opened fire, an attack that left one man dead and several others injured.
The findings highlight 12 critical points of failure where the Secret Service should have acted to protect the former president and neutralize the shooter. Senator Richard Blumenthal had previously warned that the report would reveal significant security deficiencies.
The report states: “At approximately 5:45 p.m., USSS personnel were notified by local law enforcement about a suspicious individual near the AGR building using a rangefinder. By 5:52 p.m., at least eight USSS personnel were aware. However, only two minutes before shots were fired was any action taken.”
Here are the 12 key points of failure outlined in the report:
1. Delayed Response: Secret Service personnel were alerted to a suspicious person with a rangefinder near the AGR building 27 minutes before the shooting. 2. Lack of Action: Two minutes before