BUTLER, PA. – The Secret Service has attributed a security breach that allowed gunman Thomas Matthew Crooks to attempt an assassination on former President Donald Trump to local police, asserting that the rooftop from which Crooks fired was outside the federal agency’s designated perimeter.
The incident occurred at AGR International Inc., roughly 130 yards from the stage where Trump was speaking on Saturday. Secret Service spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi stated that local Pennsylvania police were responsible for securing and patrolling the factory grounds, while the Secret Service was tasked with protecting the immediate rally area.
Residents near the Butler Farm Show Grounds reported that they were not contacted by any law enforcement agencies before or during the rally. Valerie Fennell, whose home is adjacent to the fairgrounds and close to AGR, expressed surprise at the lack of communication. “Nobody contacted me. Nobody called me, nobody stopped here,” she said.
Fennell’s neighbors also confirmed they had not been approached by law enforcement. “I was talking to my neighbors yesterday, and none of them had gotten a call. Or anything,” she added. Her sister, Debra, echoed the sentiment, questioning why the area wasn’t secured.
During the rally, attendees noticed the 20-year-old Crooks acting suspiciously near metal detectors and alerted local law enforcement. Despite warnings broadcasted to the Secret Service, Crooks managed to evade detection and positioned himself on the AGR factory rooftop. He fired approximately eight bullets, striking Trump in the ear, fatally wounding bystander Corey Comperatore, and injuring two others.
A local police officer confronted Crooks on the rooftop but retreated when Crooks pointed his rifle at him. Moments later, Secret Service snipers fatally shot Crooks from a barn rooftop behind the stage. The federal agency confirmed it relied on local law enforcement for event security, a common practice for high-profile events.
Pennsylvania police acknowledged their role in assisting the Secret Service, but emphasized that the federal agency leads security operations for such events. Lt. Col. George Bivens of the Pennsylvania State Police stated, “Secret Service always has the lead on securing something like this.”
In response to the incident, House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) announced plans to summon Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle for a July 22 hearing to investigate the security lapses that nearly resulted in Trump’s assassination.