The Secret Service has attributed the failure to secure the rooftop from which Thomas Matthew Crooks attempted to assassinate President Trump to local police, asserting that it was outside the perimeter assigned to the federal agency.
Anthony Gugliemi, a Secret Service representative, stated that the responsibility for securing the grounds of AGR International Inc., located about 130 yards from Trump's stage, lay with local Pennsylvania police, according to the New York Times.
The Secret Service was charged with safeguarding the rally grounds, while local police were recruited to assist and secure the surrounding area. Valerie Fennell, whose home is near the rally grounds, expressed her surprise at not being contacted by law enforcement, a sentiment shared by her neighbors. “I honestly thought this might be part of a command station at some point,” Fennell said, noting that no one in her neighborhood had been contacted.
Attendees reported seeing 20-year-old Thomas Crooks acting suspiciously near the rally's metal detectors, with local law enforcement notifying the Secret Service to be on the lookout. Crooks was also seen with a rifle outside a security checkpoint and was later spotted moving between rooftops before settling on the AGR factory roof. Despite alerts, police failed to locate him until reports of an armed man on the roof came in.
Around 6:10 p.m., a local police officer confronted Crooks on the roof, who pointed his rifle at the officer. The officer retreated, and Crooks fired approximately eight shots at the rally, hitting Trump in the ear, fatally wounding bystander Corey Comperatore, and seriously injuring two others. Secret Service snipers on a nearby barn roof quickly responded and fatally shot Crooks.
The Secret Service confirmed its reliance on local law enforcement for event security, a common practice, according to the Washington Post. Local police supported the Secret Service with tactical units and sniper teams. Pennsylvania State Police Lt. Col. George Bivens stated that while the Secret Service leads security efforts, they collaborate closely with local agencies.
In the wake of the incident, calls for an investigation into the Secret Service's handling of the situation have emerged. House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) has announced plans to summon Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle for a hearing on July 22.
