The Department of Homeland Security inspector general opened an investigation into the Secret Service’s handling of security during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday when a 20-year-old gunman attempted to assassinate former President Donald Trump.
The short notice said the investigation is to “Evaluate the United States Secret Service’s (Secret Service) process for securing former President Trump’s July 13, 2024 campaign event.”
NEW: The Department of Homeland Security’s Inspector General opens an investigation into how the Secret Service secured the Butler, Pennsylvania, campaign rally leading up to an attempted assassination of former Pres. Trump. pic.twitter.com/PyDo3x4QYE
— Alex Salvi (@alexsalvinews) July 17, 2024
Many questions have been raised since the shooting, including how Thomas Matthew Crooks of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, was able to position himself on a nearby roof, about 157 yards from where Trump was speaking.
Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle told ABC News in an interview that counter-sniper teams were present and placed on some rooftops, but not the one the shooter was on because it had a "sloped roof," an excuse that's been widely panned given the Secret Service snipers who took out the shooter were also on a sloped roof.
"Should that roof have been secured?"
— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) July 17, 2024
Director Kimberly Cheatle: "That building has a sloped roof. There's a safety factor considered that we wouldn't want to put somebody up on the sloped roof." pic.twitter.com/66eteneY4E
Secret Service Director Kim Cheatle is blaming a sloped roof for their failure Saturday. They admitted the roof was a vulnerability and instead of putting guys on it, they put them inside the building. What good is that? Local officers were calling in about Crooks before the… pic.twitter.com/O4d2i8JvAO
— Jesse Watters (@JesseBWatters) July 16, 2024
While claiming the buck stops with her, Cheatle pinned the blame on local law enforcement agencies who were inside the building the shooter fired from and were "responsible for the outer perimeter of the building."
As Spencer reported, there has been increased Secret Service protection for Trump in recent weeks due to an Iranian plot to kill Trump, and yet Crooks was able to fatally shoot one rally goer, critically injure two others, and nearly assassinate the former president.