A senior NBC News Secret Service source confirmed the agency knew there was a major vulnerability on the rooftop where deceased suspect Thomas Matthew Crooks shot Donald Trump, killed a bystander and injured two others on Saturday.
The USSS insider was “familiar with the planning” of the Trump rally, saying the building Crooks climbed onto was identified as “a well known high priority vulnerability” one day before the event.
NBC reports the Secret Service knew "the roof was a well known, high priority vulnerability. It was identified just the day before during a security walk through."
There were two sniper teams on site. They did not need approval to shoot. "Prior protocols were not followed." pic.twitter.com/rzDRnP0ait
— The American Conservative (@amconmag) July 15, 2024
“Someone should have been on the roof or securing the building so no one could get on the roof,” the senior Secret Service agent said.
Secret Service representative Anthony Gugliemi told the New York Times securing the roof of the building was the responsibility of local Pennsylvania police.
USSS reportedly designated the rooftop as being under the jurisdiction of local law enforcement, but Butler County District Attorney Richard Goldinger argued Secret Service was in charge of security outside the venue because it ran all the meetings with local officials.
“They had meetings in the week prior. The Secret Service ran the show. They were the ones who designated who did what. In the command hierarchy, they were top, they were No. 1. To me, the whole thing is under the jurisdiction of the Secret Service. And they will delineate from there,” Goldinger said.
NBC’s Secret Service source also noted the agency was ultimately responsible for securing the area ahead of and during the speech even if local law enforcement did drop the ball.
“Just because it is outside of the perimeter, it doesn’t take it out of play for a vulnerability, and you’ve got to mitigate it in some fashion,” the source said.
A former FBI agent told The Sun, “I am very surprised that the rooftop used by the gunman was not secured and locked down. The rooftop was the closest high ground point with direct line of sight to the stage on which Trump was speaking. I think there was an error in planning and it would not have taken much resources or manpower to secure that rooftop.”
Locals who live nearby the location of the rally told the New York Post they were shocked no local or federal LEOs contacted them about security ahead of the event.
In other bizarre security issues, CNN reported local police were notified and broadcasted warnings over radio to Secret Service that an individual was acting suspicious by metal detectors placed near the entrance of the rally.
Later, attendees watched, filmed and shouted for police as Crooks climbed onto a roof with a rifle on his back.
One officer reportedly climbed up a ladder and came back down when Crooks pointed his rifle in the cop’s direction.
Seconds later, the shooter opened fire on Trump and the audience.
As one eyewitness stated, “There’s a whole bunch of questions.”
A Whole Bunch Of Questions.
Why was the shooter on the roof for "three to four minutes" before assassination attempt? pic.twitter.com/TU9ZRche10— Darrin McBreen (@MediaRival) July 14, 2024
Don’t miss:
EMERGENCY ALERT: Deep State Could Attack The RNC And Assassinate Trump By Any Means pic.twitter.com/JVYSDzZiPv
— Alex Jones (@RealAlexJones) July 15, 2024
Trump Shot: The Gloves Come Off
We've crossed the Rubicon as a nation. pic.twitter.com/wGPyUEy42s
— Alex Jones (@RealAlexJones) July 14, 2024