Secret Service missed 102 radio calls ahead of Trump assassination attempt in Butler County, report shows
An intense search was underway for a suspicious person at the campaign rally for now-President Donald Trump on July 13, 2024. Local law enforcement sent 102 radio transmissions concerning the man, later identified as Thomas Matthew Crooks, according to a newly released federal report.
The Secret Service received none of them, states a Tuesday, June 30 report from the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General.
Instead, the agency trusted to safeguard the nation’s leaders received only five phone calls and three text messages about Crooks.
Trump’s protective detail was not warned that Crooks possessed a range finder and a long gun or about how he had climbed atop the nearby American Glass Research International building’s roof.
Trump stepped on stage at the Butler Farm Show grounds shortly after 6 p.m., unaware of the intense search being conduct nearby.
Trump had begun his speech when Crooks opened fire.
Trump was whisked off stage with an ear wound. Buffalo Township firefighter, Corey Comperatore was fatally shot. Two other men were severely injured.
There was no “joint communications room” with representatives from local law enforcement, the report said.
“Multiple protective detail members said if Secret Service members had informed them of the ongoing search for a suspicious person, they would have protected President Trump by delaying his speech or removing him from the stage,” the report said.
Further, the Secret Service did not secure the area outside the perimeter at the Butler Farm Show grounds; detect Crooks’ drone flight earlier that day; use resources to block line of sight; or share intelligence with Pittsburgh law enforcement leadership about a long-distance threat to Trump.
The “insufficient coordination” began well before July 13, 2024, the report said. Pennsylvania State Police shared its plan with the Secret Service ahead of the rally, showing the area outside the perimeter would be unsecure, according to the report.
“Secret Service lead and site agents did not fully coordinate with or provide feedback to state and local law enforcement partners, particularly regarding securing the area outside the perimeter, which includes the AGR complex,” the report said. “As a result, state and local law enforcement partners did not secure the AGR complex, resulting in a missed opportunity to prevent Crooks from entering the area, climbing onto the AGR complex’s roof, and shooting at President Trump.”
Additionally, the Secret Service did not share intelligence with Pittsburgh law enforcement leadership about a long-distance threat to Trump, resulting in “insufficient personnel for the event,” the report detailed.
The drone operator wasn’t prepared well enough ahead of the event either, according to the report. The person, tasked with operating an on-site counter-drone operation, was called “inexperienced” and spent the afternoon troubleshooting the equipment with customer service while Crooks flew a drone over the venue, the report said.
The June 30 report includes seven recommendations for Secret Service and follows a series of reviews conducted by others, including a congressional task force led by Rep. Mike Kelly, R-16th.
For the review by the Department of Homeland Security, 92 people were interviewed and more than 70,000 documents were received.
“Although other entities have reviewed the July 13, 2024, event, we initiated this review to holistically evaluate the Secret Service’s process for securing the campaign event,” the report said.
The task force had earlier highlighted a similar breakdown in communication. The late 2024 report addressed failures in planning, execution and leadership.
The Secret Service concurred with all seven of the recommendations. All are considered resolved. Four remain “open,” but three are deemed “closed.”
The Butler Eagle will publish a complete list of the report’s findings and recommendations online Monday and in the Tuesday edition of the newspaper.
