DHS Report Faults Secret Service for Missing 102 Alerts Before 2024 Trump Shooting
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Jul 2
DHS Report Faults Secret Service for Missing 102 Alerts Before 2024 Trump Shooting
3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Jul 2
Summary
A 64-page DHS inspector general report said the Secret Service missed multiple chances to stop or disrupt the July 13, 2024, attempt on Donald Trump at a Butler, Pennsylvania, rally.
The report blamed weak policy, poor coordination and limited intelligence sharing, saying agents missed 102 radio transmissions as local police searched for Thomas Matthew Crooks and warned he was on a roof with a long gun.
Crooks also flew a drone undetected for nearly 9 minutes less than three hours before the rally because of an under-trained operator and equipment failures; the on-site counter-drone system was not operational then and later malfunctioned.
Security planners had identified the AGR complex as a line-of-sight risk, yet trucks meant to block the view were not confirmed in place, leaving Crooks an unobstructed shot from 155 yards; command posts were also 257 yards apart with limited radio links.
Crooks fired 8 shots, grazing Trump, killing attendee Corey Comperatore, 50, and critically wounding two others; the report recommends mandatory threat communication, stronger counter-drone training and formal line-of-sight mitigation.
After critical drone and communication failures, is the Secret Service truly equipped to handle modern assassination threats?
Beyond policy changes, how will the agency fix the agent burnout and attrition that enabled this security disaster?
Anatomy of the July 13, 2024, Trump Rally Attack: Security Breaches, Accountability, and Lessons for the Secret Service
Overview
On July 13, 2024, a major security failure at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, allowed assailant Thomas Matthew Crooks to access a rooftop and attempt to assassinate former President Donald Trump. The attack resulted in the death of an innocent bystander and injuries to others, exposing critical lapses in Secret Service protocols. Trump was quickly escorted off stage by agents, but the incident triggered immediate investigations by government watchdogs and congressional panels. These inquiries revealed deep systemic failures in planning, leadership, and communication, prompting calls for accountability and urgent reforms within the Secret Service.