102 missed alerts, compromised counter-drone system: U.S. government watchdog details security lapses in 2024 Trump shooting
The U.S. Secret Service failed to receive 102 radio transmissions from local police about a gunman trying to assassinate the U.S. president Donald Trump At a July 2024 campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. The Department of Homeland Security does not have a joint communications room with local law enforcement, according to a report released Thursday by the Office of the Inspector General.The report found that local law enforcement officers were actively sharing information over the radio about a suspicious person, later identified as 20-year-old Thomas Crooks. However, the Secret Service has been largely cut off from these communications.The agency did not receive the radio transmission but learned of Crooks’ condition through five phone calls and three text messages. “As a result, Secret Service members did not alert President Trump’s protective officers regarding concerns about suspicious persons,” Reuters said, citing the inspector general’s report.Crooks opened fire as Trump addressed supporters at a rally on July 13, 2024. One spectator died and two others were injured, including Trump, who suffered a scratch on his ear. Crooks was shot and killed by law enforcement officers at the scene.Reports say Crooks entered a nearby rooftop with direct view of Trump before shooting.Investigators also found lapses in the agency’s counter-drone operations. According to reports, a few hours before the shooting, Crooks flew a drone over the rally site for nearly nine minutes, but the flight was not detected because the Secret Service’s counter-drone system was inoperable.The system was reportedly operated by an “ill-trained” officer who failed to test the equipment before the event. The operator spent several hours trying to fix it, allowing Crooks to fly the drone without being detected, the report said.The inspector general recommends improving information sharing between agencies and taking stronger steps to identify and address “line of sight vulnerabilities” ahead of public events.In response to the findings, the Secret Service agreed with the recommendations. “Many of these recommendations have been identified … and have been implemented as part of our ongoing reform efforts,” a Secret Service spokesman said.
