Acting Secret Service Director Ronald Rowe is currently testifying on Capitol Hill as Congressional lawmakers question him about alleged security lapses in the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump at a recent campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
Rowe mentioned that he visited the rally site and went up to the rooftop where the gunman, Thomas Matthew Crooks, fired shots that hit Trump, resulted in the death of one rally attendee, and injured two others before being shot by Secret Service agents.
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Rowe expressed his regret that the rooftop was not adequately secured, attributing the incident to failures on multiple levels.
“We assumed that there would be sufficient security and counter-sniper teams in place,” Rowe mentioned, referring to the AGR building where Crooks fired from. “We will not make the same mistake again.”
He also stated that the Secret Service had not received any prior information about a weapon on the roof before the shots were fired.
Recently appointed as acting director, Rowe took over the role after Kimberly Cheatle’s resignation following intense questioning by lawmakers about the security breach during the assassination attempt.
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FBI Special Agent Kevin Rojek mentioned that investigations into Crooks’ motive are ongoing, with over 450 interviews and 2,100 tips reviewed, including gaming sites, social media, and online searches related to potential violent activities.
FBI Director Christopher Wray noted that half of the agency’s field offices are dedicated to the case, which is one of several ongoing investigations into the attempted assassination.
