Secret Service Skips Law Enforcement Press Conference Following Assassination Attempt

The U.S. Secret Service skipped a law enforcement press conference late on Saturday night after the agency failed to prevent a man from shooting former President Donald Trump at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania in what federal law enforcement officials have officially labeled an assassination attempt.

The FBI and local law enforcement officials attended the press conference.

Kevin Rojek, special agent in charge of the FBI Pittsburgh Field Office, said that law enforcement only knew that 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks was on top of a nearby roof after he started shooting — despite numerous Trump supporters saying they pointed him out moments before he began firing.

“We’re still working through the security apparatus that the Secret Service had in place,” he said. “What potentially happened, there’s gonna be a long investigation into exactly what took place and how the individual is able to get access to the location.”

Rojek said that it was “surprising” that the suspect was able to fire off as many shots as he did before he was finally neutralized by law enforcement.

As he continued to be peppered with questions from reporters about how the security failure that led to the shooting, Rojek said that the Secret Service was responsible for securing the rally.

“Again, the Secret Service really needs to answer that question,” he said. “They conduct the initial site survey. They do the initial security assessments and determine where the different security locations should be. And they’re the ones who are in charge of securing the scene. We along with other state and local assets are there to support the Secret Service and their mission.”

When asked how the shooter was able to make the assassination attempt, FBI Special Agent: "There's going to be a long investigation…It is surprising…the Secret Service needs to answer that question." pic.twitter.com/I2oimfIfFr

— CSPAN (@cspan) July 14, 2024

Crooks fired multiple rounds at Trump, one of which was an inch from being a potentially fatal hit. At least one Trump supporter in the crowd was killed and two more were seriously injured during the attack, the U.S. Secret Service said in a statement.

As shots rang out, Trump grabbed his ear — a journalist captured a photograph of what could have been the bullet after it hit Trump and traveled past his head — and Secret Service shouted, “Get down! Get down! Get down!”

Trump dropped to the ground as he was tackled by Secret Service, where he remained until the gunman was neutralized by law enforcement.

Before they moved him off the stage, Trump yelled at the agents: “Wait! Wait! Wait!” Then, looking at the thousands of supporters who showed up, he raised his fist and shouted: “Fight! Fight! Fight!”