Assassination attempt on Trump sparks security agency backlash

On July 13, 2024, an assassination attempt on Donald Trump took place during an election rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. The former president was shot in the ear while addressing the crowd.

Moments later, Trump fell to the ground. Despite the wound, he managed to stand on his own. He was then quickly evacuated by Secret Service agents. Bloodstains were visible on his face. Trump himself described his experience on social media a few hours after the incident. He stated that he felt the bullet pierce the skin in the upper part of his right ear, causing heavy bleeding.

The FBI identified the perpetrator as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks from Bethel Park, Pennsylvania. The attacker was "neutralized" (killed) on the spot by security forces. The motives for the perpetrator's actions are not yet known. Investigators are prioritizing determining the motive and checking if the shooter had accomplices.

It is known that the attacker took a position on the roof of a utility building, only 129 yards from the stage where Trump was speaking. From this distance, as reported by the Associated Press, "a decent shooter can hit a human-height target." Despite the presence of security, the attacker managed to fire several shots before being neutralized.

Shortly after the incident, a wave of criticism hit the services protecting Donald Trump. Meeting participants reported that they had previously reported the presence of a suspicious man on the roof, but their warnings were not taken seriously.

Retired chief superintendent Dariusz Loranty, a former police negotiator, pointed out numerous errors in the security actions in an interview with Gazeta.pl. He reminded that protecting the former US president is the responsibility of the Secret Service, which should cooperate with local services.

We probably have an example here of a fatal collaboration between the Secret Service and the local police department. No formation in the world, not even American, Israeli, or Russian, can adequately protect a given person with its own forces and resources. They (the Secret Service - ed.) have two tiers of protection: the primary, around the president and in his immediate vicinity. However, in the outer zone, it is covered by other services - Loranty explained in an interview with Gazeta.pl.