Millions of Americans remain outraged over the shocking assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump that occurred in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13. The brutal attack sent shockwaves across the nation as Trump, a leading 2024 presidential candidate, was shot in the ear while delivering a speech at a rally.

Supporters and onlookers watched in horror as the event unfolded, leaving the country in disbelief.

As details emerged, it became clear that this incident could have had a far more tragic outcome. The attack left two rallygoers injured and claimed the life of 50-year-old Corey Comperatore. While the nation continues to mourn, many are still asking how such a failure of security could have occurred.

The House of Representatives, tasked with investigating the event, has now dropped a bombshell report revealing exactly how this attempted assassination could have been prevented.

From Daily Wire:
House lawmakers tasked with investigating the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump in Pennsylvania said Monday that the attack never would have happened had the Secret Service been prepared…

“Put simply, the evidence obtained by the Task Force to date shows the tragic and shocking events of July 13 were preventable and should not have happened,” the task force said.

Stunning Findings From the House Task Force

The House Task Force, which was created to investigate the security failures that led to the attack, has released a scathing 53-page interim report. The findings are jaw-dropping. According to the task force, the assassination attempt would never have happened had the Secret Service been adequately prepared.

The report details how a series of missteps and errors allowed 20-year-old shooter Thomas Matthew Crooks to get dangerously close to the stage where Trump was speaking, without undergoing any security screening.

The most shocking revelation? Crooks was able to position himself just 150 yards from the stage, well within range, without any intervention. The report notes that the Secret Service had recognized the area outside the security perimeter as a potential threat but failed to take the necessary steps to secure it.

“The tragic and shocking events of July 13 were preventable and should not have happened,” the task force stated bluntly.

The Breakdown in Security

One of the key failures identified in the report was the poorly secured outer perimeter of the rally. A parking lot belonging to the American Glass Research (AGR) facility, located near the rally, was closed to vehicles, but a crowd gathered in a grassy area just beyond a flimsy chain-link fence.

Shockingly, the people in that area were able to see the stage clearly and were not required to pass through any magnetometers or security screenings. Despite being only 150 yards from where Trump was speaking, they posed a clear threat that went unchecked.

The report also found that the Secret Service failed to secure elevated positions with clear sightlines to the stage. Crooks took advantage of this oversight, using an air conditioning unit to hoist himself onto the roof of the AGR building.

From there, he opened fire, hitting Trump and others in the crowd. It’s a staggering failure of planning and execution that left many questioning how the nation’s top security agency could have allowed such a breach.

Local Police Encountered Crooks

In a further twist, a local Butler police officer had actually encountered Crooks moments before the shooting. The officer described how he saw Crooks on the roof, aiming his weapon toward the stage.

“His eyes were very big, like, what are you doing up here?” the officer recalled. The officer, caught off guard and unable to gain control of the situation, fell from his position before he could engage Crooks.

By the time the officer radioed in a warning, it was too late. The Secret Service detail guarding Trump never received the alert. Crooks opened fire, injuring Trump and others, before being taken down by a combination of local police and Secret Service snipers.

However, conflicting reports remain over who actually fired the shot that killed Crooks, with the FBI unable to definitively determine whether it was a Secret Service sniper or a local officer who neutralized the shooter.

A History of Security Failures

The release of this report follows several others, including reviews by the Senate and an independent panel established by Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. Each report echoes the same conclusion: major failures within the Secret Service led to the near-tragedy in Butler, Pennsylvania.

The agency, responsible for the safety of the former president, has been found liable for systematic planning failures, communication breakdowns, and a shocking inability to secure key areas.

While the House Task Force’s interim report has shed light on these failures, it has also raised more questions about the preparedness of the Secret Service in protecting national figures.

With Trump continuing his campaign, the need for a complete overhaul of security measures has never been more urgent.

Key Takeaways

• The House Task Force report reveals major security failures by the Secret Service that allowed the attempted assassination of Donald Trump in Butler, PA.
• Shooter Thomas Matthew Crooks was able to position himself just 150 yards from Trump without going through any security screening.
• Despite multiple warnings, communication breakdowns between local police and the Secret Service allowed the attack to proceed.

Source: Daily Wire