The U.S. Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General released a report indicating that the Secret Service missed several opportunities to prevent the assassination attempt on Donald Trump during a campaign rally in Pennsylvania on July 13, 2024. The 64-page report outlines security lapses that allowed the assailant, Thomas Matthew Crooks, to gain a line of sight of Trump while he was on stage.
The report states that the Secret Service's lack of policy, limited intelligence sharing, and poor communication with local law enforcement contributed to the failure to detect the threat. Notably, the Secret Service did not inform Trump's protective detail that Crooks had a long gun and had climbed onto a nearby building. The communication issues were exacerbated by the fact that the Secret Service and local law enforcement operated from separate locations, which were 257 yards apart, leading to missed radio transmissions regarding the suspect's activities.
Crooks was able to fire eight shots, resulting in Trump being grazed in the ear, while one attendee was killed and two others were critically injured. The report also noted that the Secret Service failed to detect Crooks' drone flight, which he used to survey the event, due to equipment malfunction and inadequate training.
The report suggests several recommendations for improving the Secret Service's event security processes, including mandatory threat communication and enhanced training for counter-drone operations. Despite identifying vulnerabilities in advance, the Secret Service did not take adequate measures to obstruct Crooks' line of sight to Trump during the rally.