The Department of Homeland Security’s inspector general announced on Wednesday that an investigation has been opened into the Secret Service’s handling of security at a Trump campaign rally over the weekend. This decision comes amid increasing scrutiny of the security lapses that permitted an attempted assassination on the former president.
The investigation was initiated after the Secret Service and local police agencies provided conflicting reports regarding the security measures for former President Donald J. Trump, whose protection was heightened due to a potential Iranian assassination plot. On Saturday, during the rally in western Pennsylvania, a gunman managed to scale the roof of a warehouse less than 500 feet from where Mr. Trump was speaking. Concurrently, three local law enforcement snipers were inside the same complex, monitoring the crowd. While the Secret Service director stated that these snipers were in the same building as the gunman, a local law enforcement official contradicted this, saying the officers were in an adjacent building.
This discrepancy is among several issues being examined to understand how the 20-year-old gunman was able to open fire, resulting in Mr. Trump being injured, one man dead, and two others gravely wounded. Analysis of videos posted on social media showed that Secret Service snipers began orienting themselves toward the gunman about two minutes before shots were fired.
Key Points to Note:
Secret Service Response: Kimberly A. Cheatle, the director of the Secret Service, has taken responsibility for the incident but does not intend to resign. She is scheduled to testify before Congress next week, where she will address the events of Saturday, including reports from local police about a suspicious person in the crowd before Mr. Trump began his speech.
Trump’s Call to Widow: Mr. Trump extended his condolences to Helen Comperatore, the widow of Corey Comperatore, who was killed at the rally, in a phone call on Tuesday. Helen Comperatore had previously told The New York Post that she had not heard from the former president and had declined to speak with President Biden following the incident.
Iranian Assassination Plot: U.S. intelligence agencies were monitoring a potential Iranian assassination plot against Mr. Trump in the weeks leading up to the rally. Although this intelligence led to increased security measures for the rally, officials stated that they do not believe the plot was connected to Saturday’s shooting attempt.
Ongoing Investigation: F.B.I. technicians in Quantico, Virginia, have begun examining the gunman’s communications and data. As of now, they have not found clear evidence of a motive or significant new details regarding potential connections to other individuals.
The unfolding investigation aims to clarify the security breakdown and prevent such incidents in the future, amidst the broader context of ongoing threats and political tensions.
