A Senate investigation found multiple failures by the Secret Service during a July rally for former US President Donald Trump, where a gunman opened fire in an assassination attempt, AP News reports.
The report, released by the Senate Homeland Security Committee, identified planning, communication, and resource allocation issues, calling the events “foreseeable” and “preventable.” The shooter, Thomas Matthew Crooks, fired eight shots from a nearby building, and Trump was struck in the ear by a bullet or bullet fragment, one rallygoer was killed, and two others were injured before the gunman was killed by a Secret Service sniper.
Key failures included a lack of a clear chain of command, poor communication between agencies, and inadequate security coverage of a building from which the shooter fired. A warning about an armed individual on the roof came two minutes before the shots but was not relayed to key personnel in time. The Senate report recommended an overhaul of Secret Service communication protocols and clearer chains of command.
The report comes after similar findings by an internal Secret Service review. Lawmakers remain divided on whether the agency needs more funding or internal reform first. A House task force is also investigating a second assassination attempt on Trump.
