The acting director of the US Secret Service has said he is “ashamed” of the security lapse prior to the attempted assassination of Donald Trump.
Ronald Rowe Jr told a congressional hearing he had travelled to the site in Butler, Pennsylvania, and laid down on the roof from where the shots were fired.
“What I saw made me ashamed. As a law enforcement officer, and a 25-year veteran with the Secret Service, I cannot defend why that roof was not better secured,” he said.
He went on to explain that a local law enforcement officer had climbed onto the roof and spotted the suspect with a rifle 30 seconds before shots were fired.
While a motive has yet to be established, members of Congress heard that the FBI has now uncovered a social media account believed to be associated with the gunman.
Paul Abbate, deputy director of the FBI, said: “There were over 700 comments posted from this account.
“These comments, if ultimately attributable to the shooter, appear to reflect antisemitic and anti-immigration themes to espouse political violence and are described as extreme in nature,” he added.
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How the security operation unfolded
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One man was shot dead and two other people were left seriously injured when 20-year-old Thomas Crooks opened fire on the former president, wounding 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 sets out to kill a leading figure in the United States.
“But how does that match the reality… when a 20-year-old introverted college student outsmarted 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.
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Ms Cheatle, who described it as “the most significant operational failure in decades”, stepped down as Secret Service director last week.
Both witnesses assured members of Congress that steps had been taken to tighten security, particularly at the upcoming Democratic National Convention in Chicago next month.
Mr Rowe Jr said: “To prevent similar lapses from occurring in the future, I directed our personnel to ensure every event site security plan is thoroughly vetted by multiple experienced supervisors before it is implemented.
“It is clear to me that other protective enhancements could have strengthened our security at the other event.
“As such, I have directed the expanded use of unmanned aerial systems and protective sites to help detect threats on roofs and other elevated threats.”
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