A Department of Homeland Security (DHS) inspector general report released on July 3, 2026, outlines significant failures by the Secret Service during an assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13, 2024. The report indicates that the Secret Service missed several opportunities to detect and prevent the attack by Thomas Crooks, who fired shots from a rooftop just 155 yards from the stage.
According to the report, local law enforcement warned the Secret Service about a suspicious individual on the roof at 6:09 p.m., but communications failures led to a lack of awareness among Trump’s protective detail. The report states that the Secret Service counter drone operator searched online for the location of the rooftop instead of consulting local law enforcement, continuing to search when Crooks fired shots at 6:11 p.m., injuring Trump and killing one attendee.
The report highlights that numerous radio transmissions regarding Crooks went unheard by Secret Service personnel, including a warning about a suspicious individual with a firearm. Additionally, Trump's campaign staff reportedly declined a request from the Secret Service to position trucks between the stage and the AGR complex to enhance security, citing concerns about blocking camera views. Crooks was ultimately shot and killed by law enforcement shortly after the shooting began.