Acting Secret Service Director Roland Rowe said he “cannot defend” why the rooftop where the July 13 assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump took place was not secured. Rowe tested to a Senate committee about the assassination attempt.
Rowe said he had recently visited the area where the assassination attempt took place and was ashamed of what happened. He also said he “cannot defend” why the rooftop where suspect Thomas Matthew Crooks attempted to assassinate Trump was not secured.
Rowe said security plans for similar sites will now be reviewed by multiple authorities after the assassination attempt, adding: “Neither Secret Service snipers nor members of the former President’s security detail were aware that there was a man on the roof carrying a firearm.”
Rowe also noted that the Secret Service sniper who killed Crooks had “full discretion to use deadly force” to stop an attacker and did not need a warrant to shoot.
Former US Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle gave details about the assassination attempt against former President Trump in her testimony to the House of Representatives on July 22, and left her position the next day after being pressured to resign by members of Congress.
Following Cheatle’s resignation, his deputy Rowe took over as acting director.
Attempted Assassination of Trump
Former US President Donald Trump was attacked with a gun during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania on July 13. One rally attendee was killed and two people were injured in the attack, and the US Secret Service announced that the attacker was neutralized.
