Secret Service scrutinized after Trump rally shooting

My thoughts are with President Donald Trump, the victim of an assassination attempt. I send him my wishes for a speedy recovery. A spectator has died, several are injured. It is a tragedy for our democracies. France shares the shock and indignation of the American people.

— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) July 14, 2024

The FBI is hunting for clues to understand why a 20-year-old man from a small Pennsylvania town decided to open fire at former President Donald Trump’s rally on Saturday. The Secret Service chief announced that the agency would cooperate with an independent review of security measures at the rally, as scrutiny from both Democratic and Republican lawmakers mounts. The Secret Service had identified the rooftop where the gunman shot at Trump as a potential security vulnerability in the days leading up to the event, according to two sources familiar with the agency’s operations. Despite recognizing the risk, no officers were stationed on the building during the rally. The rooftop sat outside the designated security perimeter but was within range of the stage. During the rally, shots rang out minutes into Trump’s speech.

I am appalled to learn about the shooting of former U.S. President Donald Trump at his rally in Pennsylvania.

Such violence has no justification and no place anywhere in the world. Never should violence prevail.

I am relieved to learn that Donald Trump is now safe and wish him…

— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) July 14, 2024

I'll be anchoring CNN's coverage for the next three hours as we are learning more about the FBI investigation into last night's assassination attempt of Donald Trump. President Biden is expected to speak at 1:30 pm ET. and we will cover it live.

— Kaitlan Collins (@kaitlancollins) July 14, 2024

He reached for his right ear—pierced by a bullet—then dropped to the ground as Secret Service agents rushed to shield him. Trump emerged with blood on his ear and face. Two others were also injured. Witnesses outside the security perimeter had pointed out the gunman to law enforcement before the shooting began. Secret Service personnel then shot and killed the assailant.

Secret Service response under scrutiny

This incident is being called the Secret Service’s biggest failure since the shooting of President Ronald Reagan in 1981. Questions have extended to Congress, where members are demanding answers from the Secret Service and the Department of Homeland Security. Federal agencies, including the US Secret Service, will participate fully in an independent review of the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump, Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle confirmed on Monday. The review was ordered by President Joe Biden in the wake of questions surrounding the agency’s security procedures. A spokesman for the United States Secret Service told reporters that the agency did not sweep the building from which the suspect fired, relying instead on local law enforcement for security at that location. However, it is unclear where local law enforcement was positioned at the time. President Biden has directed Cheatle to review all security measures for the Republican National Convention, as well as undertake an independent review of the assassination attempt to “assess exactly what happened.” He pledged to release the results of that inquiry publicly. Republican and Democratic lawmakers are demanding answers regarding the incident. House Speaker Mike Johnson has promised a “full investigation” with testimonies from the US Secret Service, DHS, and FBI. Additionally, two Republican senators on the Homeland Security Committee have called for an investigation. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas acknowledged the incident as a “security failure” in an appearance, emphasizing the need for an independent review to prevent future occurrences. This story is developing and will be updated as more information becomes available.