(TheIndependentStar.com) – In a shocking admission about mistakes that could have cost Donald Trump his life, a preliminary report by the Secret Service has confessed to it communication failures with local law enforcement, which hindered the response to the assassination attempt at a Pennsylvania rally in July.
Ronald Rowe, the acting director of the Secret Service, who took over following Kimberly Cheatle’s resignation due to the incident, criticized the agency’s agents for their complacency.
He stated that consequences were forthcoming, National Review reports.
“While some members of the advance team were very diligent, there was complacency on the part of others that led to a breach of security protocols,” Rowe announced during the release of the findings.
He emphasized that specific personnel matters could not be discussed publicly as the investigation is still active.
The initial report does not specify which individuals were at fault nor does it confirm any disciplinary actions taken, though Rowe mentioned that there would be repercussions.
The comprehensive report is still pending.
The report describes “communications deficiencies” during the rally on July 13 in Butler, Pennsylvania, where 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks shot and injured Trump.
The summary highlighted problems in the coordination and implementation of security measures by the Secret Service.
“These deficiencies included gaps in colocation of law enforcement resources to share information, the variety of radio frequencies/channels used (again without the colocation of physical personnel to convey information), and the capability of agency personnel to clearly convey the Secret Service’s protective needs,” according to the document.
For example, local police were not informed about the existence of two crucial communication centers—a Secret Service security room and an emergency-services command center for Butler County.
Consequently, they were unaware that their radio messages were not being received by the Secret Service on that day.
Just a minute before Crooks began shooting, the Secret Service security room alerted a counter-sniper about Crooks being positioned on a nearby roof with a firearm.
However, Rowe stated, “vital piece of information was not relayed over the Secret Service radio network.”
Additionally, vital information was communicated outside the Secret Service’s designated radio frequencies via cell phones, in a piecemeal manner, as officers tried to locate the shooter.
“The different radio frequencies used at the Butler Farm Show venue were not conducive for quickly sharing real-time information,” the report notes.
The location of the rally was also identified as a security risk beforehand, due to visibility issues.
Crooks fired eight shots at Trump from less than 150 yards away, from a rooftop outside the secure area, before being fatally shot by a Secret Service sniper.
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