Preliminary report reveals details of assassination attempt on Trump
Former U.S. President Donald Trump raises his fist after being shot from his right ear in Pennsylvania, US on July 13, 2024. (AP Photo)
A five-point preliminary report shedding light on the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump during a rally has been released.
U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson shared the report on social media, detailing his team’s findings from the investigation into the events of July 13. According to the report, Johnson and his team met with federal and local government officials to investigate security lapses on the day of the incident, revealing several notable points to the public.
Secret Service absence: The report states that the Secret Service did not attend the morning meeting held for local SWAT and sniper teams on July 13, 2024.
“A meeting for local SWAT and sniper teams was held at 9 a.m. The teams were assigned security responsibilities. It is unclear why the Secret Service did not attend the meeting.”
Communication failures: “Local law enforcement reported that communication on the day of the incident was inconsistent and they could not establish direct contact with the Secret Service,” the report states, adding that the teams were found to be communicating on separate channels.
Information on suspect: The third point mentions that local forces had informed central command about suspect Thomas Matthew Crooks and the Secret Service was aware of this information.
“The local sniper team spotted Crooks at the scene without a weapon and behaving suspiciously. He was later seen with a rangefinder. Central command was informed about Crooks, and the Secret Service said they were aware of this information and requested details about the suspect’s location.”
Secret Service actions post-incident: The fourth point highlights that the Secret Service was seen with local units on the roof of the building where Crooks was located after the incident, and photos of Crooks were sent to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) for facial recognition.
“It is unclear when and how the Secret Service accessed the roof. It is also unclear why the ATF was tasked with identifying Crooks.”
Sniper deployment: The final point states that, according to local units, the Secret Service initially did not plan to deploy snipers to the rally.
The report emphasizes the need to preserve all potential evidence and stresses the importance of a transparent investigation into the assassination attempt.
In addition, the report includes a detailed timeline of the events on the day of the incident, along with images of the suspect at the rally, and photos of a bicycle and bag believed to belong to him.
Former President Donald Trump was targeted in a shooting while addressing supporters at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13. One attendee was killed, two were injured, and the U.S. Secret Service announced that the attacker had been neutralized.
