Washington: The attempt on former US President Donald Trump's life took the world by surprise and raised questions about major security lapses that allowed the 20-year-old shooter to come within 150 m in a packed campaign event. However, a new timeline provided by the US Secret Service and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) officials revealed more alarming details about the assassination attempt that raised questions over the security plan.
Three sources familiar with a briefing for senators on Wednesday told NBC News that the Secret Service and FBI officials shared a timeline of events that revealed that Thomas Matthew Crooks, who opened fire on Trump, was reported as a suspicious person and photographed an hour before the shooting. Crooks was later designated a "threat" a mere 10 minutes before Trump took the stage, and was still allowed to go.
This came after reports that the Biden administration obtained intelligence in recent weeks about an Iranian plot to kill the Republican presidential candidate that prompted the Secret Service to boost protection around him, according to US officials. This was an alarming revelation given the existence of the intelligence threat from a hostile foreign agency and the enhanced security of Trump could not avert the attack.
FBI, Secret Service share 'timeline' of attack
Senator John Barrasso said Crooks was carrying a range finder and a backpack and was reported as a suspicious person an hour before the attack. Roughly 30 minutes after the initial suspicious person report, Pennsylvania State Police notified the Secret Service of a suspicious person at 5:51 pm. The Secret Service notified its snipers at 5:53 pm, the sources said.
Trump took the stage for his speech at 6:02 pm. At 6:09 pm, members of the crowd notified police that Crooks, 20, was on a rooftop. Two minutes later, Crooks opened fire on Trump at 6:11 pm. Additionally, senators were also told that Crooks visited the site of the assassination attempt last week, the sources said.
Republicans have subpoenaed Secret Service Director Kim Cheatle, with some members calling on her to resign. "No one has taken responsibility. Someone has died. The [former] President was almost killed. The head of the Secret Service needs to go," said Barrasso in the hearing. The agency did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Lawmakers from both parties and law enforcement experts have pointed to several glaring oversights or errors that appear to have contributed to the tragedy and investigators are probing agents who did advance preparations for the Trump rally. The timeliness of the Secret Service’s response and its coordination with local law enforcement is also under scrutiny.
How long will the investigation take?
Security has been stepped up for Trump and President Joe Biden, and independent presidential candidate Robert F Kennedy Jr. also received a protective detail after the attack. Biden has ordered an independent review of the shooting. The Department of Homeland Security’s inspector general also opened an investigation into the Secret Service’s handling of the shooting.
In an interview with ABC News, Cheatle called the shooting "unacceptable" and said it should not be repeated again. Cheatle said she did not yet have all the details about the incident but that there was a “very short” period of time between when Crooks was identified as suspicious and when he began shooting.
There were special agents, presidential protective teams, counterassault and countersniper teams at the site on Saturday. It is expected to take weeks - if not months - to interview all the officers involved and determine exactly how Crooks was able to pull off the most serious attempt to kill a president or presidential candidate since Ronald Reagan was shot in 1981. Important questions remain unresolved particularly after Crooks was shot dead on the scene.
The Secret Service always partners with local law enforcement when a president, political candidate or other high-level official comes to town, and Saturday’s rally was no different. An advance team comes early to scope out the scene and identify potential areas of concern. They are in charge of moving vehicles, setting up barriers and blocking roads at major events.
(with inputs from AP)
