Nearly six weeks after an apparent attempt to assassinate former President Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania, at least five Secret Service members are on administrative leave. This includes at least one member of Trump’s protective detail and four Pittsburgh Field Office staffers.
The shooting sparked a security review by the Secret Service of how Crooks was able to fire several shots from an AGR building across 17th Street. The shooting left one bullet grazing Trump’s right ear and emergency medical technician Corey Comperatore fatally wounded.
In addition, 16 bullets were fired into a tent and rally-goers James Copenhaver and David Dutch were also injured in the shootings.
Just days after the shooting, Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle resigned from her position shortly after testifying before Congress giving an initial account of what had happened. The incident in turn led lawmakers to demand that the Secret Service make personnel changes.
Indeed, Fox News has learned that the Secret Service knew internally of a threat against Trump before he rallied in Butler.
“The U.S. Secret Service’s mission assurance review is progressing, and we are examining the processes, procedures and factors that led to this operational failure,” Anthony Guglielmi, the USSS chief of communications said in a statement.
“The U.S. Secret Service holds our personnel to the highest professional standards, and any identified and substantiated violations of policy will be investigated by the Office of Professional Responsibility for potential disciplinary action. Given this is a personnel matter, we are not in a position to comment further.”
The FBI had said that Crooks climbed onto the roof of a building by using HVAC equipment and piping, and got on top of another building about 150 yards from where Trump was speaking at his rally.
Local law enforcement, who was on scene monitoring the rally, had flagged Crooks as suspicious at least an hour and a half before he began his attack.
Representative James Comer (R-KY), chairman of the House Oversight Committee, called out some Secret Service members over statements saying “There must be accountability at the Secret Service for its historic failures that led to the attempted assassination of President Trump.”
“Holding negligent employees accountable is the first step. I look forward to the Task Force’s findings of its investigation. We must ensure the Secret Service does not fail again.”
