A preliminary report by a House task force investigating the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump has revealed new details about the security failures that nearly resulted in Trump’s death and the fatal shooting of rallygoer Corey Comperatore. The report, released on Monday, highlights the lack of coordination between the Secret Service and local law enforcement, which contributed to the tragedy.
One key finding of the report is that the Secret Service did not know that the shooter, Thomas Matthew Crooks, was armed before he opened fire at the Butler, Pennsylvania, rally on July 13. This security lapse allowed Crooks to fire shots, one of which struck Trump in the ear, and led to the death of Comperatore.
The report also notes that a local law enforcement officer claimed to have fired at Crooks before a Secret Service countersniper delivered the fatal shot. Investigators are still unclear about the exact sequence of shots, though Crooks’ autopsy confirms that only one bullet entered his head, which is credited to the Secret Service countersniper. It is suggested that the local officer’s shot may have caused Crooks to momentarily cease firing, but this has yet to be definitively determined.
The report underscores serious communication gaps between agencies responsible for the security of the event, which will be further addressed in the final findings expected by December.