The acting director of the US Secret Service has said he is “embarrassed” by the security failure prior to the assassination attempt on Donald Trump.
Ronald Rowe Jr told a congressional hearing that he had traveled to the scene in Butler, Pennsylvania, and lay on the roof from where the shots were fired.
“What I saw embarrassed me. As a law enforcement officer and 25-year veteran of the Secret Service, I can’t defend why that roof wasn’t better secured,” he said.
He went on to explain that a local law enforcement officer went up to the roof and saw the suspect with a rifle 30 seconds before shots were fired.
While a motive has not yet been established, members of Congress heard that the FBI has discovered a social media account believed to be associated with the gunman.
Paul Abbate, deputy director of the FBI, said: “Over 700 comments were posted from this account.
“These comments, if ultimately attributable to the shooter, appear to reflect anti-Semitic and anti-immigration themes to embrace political violence and are described as extreme in nature,” he added.
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A man was shot and killed and two other people were seriously injured when Thomas Crooks, 20 years old. He opened fire on the former president, injuring his ear.
Senator Richard Durbin told Mr Rowe Jr and former Secret Service Director Kimberley Cheatle at the congressional hearing: “We’ve all seen the movies… the international assassin with sophisticated technology, elaborate plans, well-honed skills, who He intends to kill a leading figure in the United States.
“But how does that match up with reality… when an introverted 20-year-old college student outwitted one of the most sophisticated American law enforcement agencies in history and came within an inch of killing a former president of the United States?” he asked her.
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How Trump’s attack unfolded
Ms Cheatle, who described it as “the most significant operational failure in decades”, resigned as director of the Secret Service last week.
Both witnesses assured members of Congress that steps had been taken to beef up security, particularly at the upcoming Democratic National Convention in Chicago next month.
Rowe Jr said: “To prevent similar failures from occurring in the future, I have directed our staff to ensure each event venue security plan is thoroughly vetted by multiple experienced supervisors before being implemented.
“It is clear to me that other protective improvements could have strengthened our security at the other event.
“As such, I have led the expanded use of unmanned aerial systems and protective sites to help detect rooftop and other overhead threats.”
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