Secret Service Scrutinized in Trump Shooting Incident Probe
Submitted by MAGA
Posted 103 days ago
Investigations into Secret Service's handling of Trump shooting incident intensify.
The Secret Service is under scrutiny following a shooting incident at a Pennsylvania township that hosted a campaign rally for former President Donald Trump on July 13, 2024.
The manager of Butler Township, Tom Knights, revealed that local officers had alerted a tactical channel about a "suspicious male" near the warehouse where the shooter, Thomas Matthew Crooks, was eventually located.
Knights stated that after Trump arrived, a call went out for a suspicious male near the AGR building. Multiple officers who were on traffic duty for the rally broke free from their traffic intersections to aid in the search for the suspicious person. However, the person of interest was not located, and no ladder was discovered.
It remains unclear whether the Secret Service had been using the tactical channel mentioned by Knights. The Secret Service has not issued a response either in a public statement or through a spokesperson about Knight’s statement regarding the call on the channel.
The Secret Service was informed by local police that they lacked the manpower to assist with securing the building used by the shooter. The agency had proposed stationing a patrol car and an officer outside of the building as part of its advanced security planning.
Local police stationed inside the building called in reports of a suspicious person with a golf range finder and backpack and sent a photograph of him to the Secret Service team around 20 to 30 minutes before the shooting.
The FBI is leading the criminal probe into the incident, and President Joe Biden has requested an independent investigation into the shooting and the security measures.
The Department of Homeland Security’s Inspector General has announced an investigation into the Secret Service’s security efforts and counter-sniper team to assess their threat preparation and response. The inspector general is also considering additional reviews of other USSS programs and operations.
Congress has also moved to investigate the security failings. House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) issued a subpoena to Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle on Wednesday.
Cheatle is scheduled to appear in Congress to answer questions on July 22. She has stated that while local law enforcement provided support, the Secret Service was responsible for the event’s overall security.
The Secret Service has maintained that no agents had been swapped out from Trump’s security detail to join the Secret Service team that was assigned to protect the first lady in Pittsburgh and other protectees, including Vice President Kamala Harris.
The agency has also stated that appropriate measures were in place, despite reports of a credible threat from Tehran-backed actors.
The shooting incident has raised questions about whether the Secret Service did enough to try to prevent such an incident from occurring. Several Republican lawmakers, including members of the Senate GOP leadership, have called for the director’s resignation following a Secret Service briefing with members of Congress.
The Secret Service has stated that it respects local law enforcement and could not do its job without them. The agency has also acknowledged the constraints that local law enforcement is under and has stressed that it is solely responsible for the design and implementation of security measures.
The investigation into the incident is ongoing, and more details are expected to emerge in the coming days. The Secret Service has stated that it will cooperate fully with the investigation and will take any necessary steps to ensure the safety and security of those under its protection.
Sources:
theepochtimes.com
theepochtimes.com
thegatewaypundit.com
The Secret Service is under scrutiny following a shooting incident at a Pennsylvania township that hosted a campaign rally for former President Donald Trump on July 13, 2024.
The manager of Butler Township, Tom Knights, revealed that local officers had alerted a tactical channel about a "suspicious male" near the warehouse where the shooter, Thomas Matthew Crooks, was eventually located.
Knights stated that after Trump arrived, a call went out for a suspicious male near the AGR building. Multiple officers who were on traffic duty for the rally broke free from their traffic intersections to aid in the search for the suspicious person. However, the person of interest was not located, and no ladder was discovered.
It remains unclear whether the Secret Service had been using the tactical channel mentioned by Knights. The Secret Service has not issued a response either in a public statement or through a spokesperson about Knight’s statement regarding the call on the channel.
The Secret Service was informed by local police that they lacked the manpower to assist with securing the building used by the shooter. The agency had proposed stationing a patrol car and an officer outside of the building as part of its advanced security planning.
Local police stationed inside the building called in reports of a suspicious person with a golf range finder and backpack and sent a photograph of him to the Secret Service team around 20 to 30 minutes before the shooting.
The FBI is leading the criminal probe into the incident, and President Joe Biden has requested an independent investigation into the shooting and the security measures.
The Department of Homeland Security’s Inspector General has announced an investigation into the Secret Service’s security efforts and counter-sniper team to assess their threat preparation and response. The inspector general is also considering additional reviews of other USSS programs and operations.
Congress has also moved to investigate the security failings. House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) issued a subpoena to Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle on Wednesday.
Cheatle is scheduled to appear in Congress to answer questions on July 22. She has stated that while local law enforcement provided support, the Secret Service was responsible for the event’s overall security.
The Secret Service has maintained that no agents had been swapped out from Trump’s security detail to join the Secret Service team that was assigned to protect the first lady in Pittsburgh and other protectees, including Vice President Kamala Harris.
The agency has also stated that appropriate measures were in place, despite reports of a credible threat from Tehran-backed actors.
The shooting incident has raised questions about whether the Secret Service did enough to try to prevent such an incident from occurring. Several Republican lawmakers, including members of the Senate GOP leadership, have called for the director’s resignation following a Secret Service briefing with members of Congress.
The Secret Service has stated that it respects local law enforcement and could not do its job without them. The agency has also acknowledged the constraints that local law enforcement is under and has stressed that it is solely responsible for the design and implementation of security measures.
The investigation into the incident is ongoing, and more details are expected to emerge in the coming days. The Secret Service has stated that it will cooperate fully with the investigation and will take any necessary steps to ensure the safety and security of those under its protection.
Sources:
theepochtimes.com
theepochtimes.com
thegatewaypundit.com
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