Secret Service under scrutiny, investigation launched to determine how gunman gets closer to shoot, injure Trump at rally

The US Secret Service is facing intense scrutiny as an investigation is launched into how a gunman armed with an AR-style rifle was able to get alarmingly close to former President Donald Trump and open fire, injuring him during a rally in Pennsylvania.

The incident has been deemed a monumental failure of the agency’s core duties.

The shooter, identified as Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, was ultimately killed by Secret Service personnel after firing multiple shots at the stage from an elevated position outside of the rally venue.

The Secret Service, in collaboration with the FBI and local law enforcement, is now working diligently to determine how such a security breach occurred.

An analysis conducted by the Associated Press, based on videos, photos, and satellite imagery of the rally site, revealed the shocking proximity of the shooter to the stage where the former president was delivering his speech. A video shared on social media and geolocated by the AP displayed the lifeless body of a man wearing gray camouflage on the roof of a nearby manufacturing plant, just north of the Butler Farm Show grounds.

Remarkably, this roof was situated less than 150 meters (yards) away from the stage, a distance that would allow a proficient marksman to effectively target a human-sized object. To put it into perspective, this distance is equivalent to the range at which U.S. Army recruits must successfully hit a human-sized silhouette to qualify with the M16 assault rifle during basic training. The AR-style rifle used by the gunman at the Trump rally is a semiautomatic civilian version of the military M16.

During a late-night news conference, FBI Special Agent in Charge Kevin Rojek expressed surprise at the shooter’s ability to fire at the stage before being neutralized. The Secret Service’s counter-sniper team and counterassault team, known as “Hercules” and “Hawkeye” respectively, were present at the rally. However, the investigation will shed light on the effectiveness of their measures and the circumstances that led to this grave security breach.

U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas, in collaboration with the Secret Service, has pledged a thorough investigation into the shooting incident. Safeguarding the security of presidential candidates and their campaign events remains one of the department’s highest priorities, and every possible measure will be taken to ensure their safety and well-being.

Calls for an investigation have poured in from various quarters, with Rep. Mark Green, the chairman of the House Committee on Homeland Security, demanding answers and information about the former president’s Secret Service protection. Rep. James Comer, the House Oversight Committee chairman, has also reached out to the Secret Service for a briefing and plans to invite Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle to a hearing. The aim is to understand the security failures that occurred and ensure that necessary lessons are learned to prevent their recurrence.

As the investigation unfolds, the FBI, in collaboration with the Secret Service and local and state law enforcement, will lead the efforts to bring clarity to the incident. Attorney General Merrick Garland has affirmed the Justice Department’s commitment to deploying all available resources to ensure a thorough investigation. Garland emphasized that violence of any kind will not be tolerated and that such acts are an attack on the very foundations of democracy.

The nation remains vigilant as authorities work diligently to unravel the circumstances surrounding this horrific attack on the former president and ensure the security and safety of all political figures.