Secret Service Defends Response To Attempted Trump Assassination

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle on Monday defended her agency's response during the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump at a weekend political rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.

In the Secret Service's first detailed statement since Saturday's incident, Cheatle said the agency will "work with all involved federal, state and local agencies to understand what happened, how it happened, and how we can prevent an incident like this from ever taking place again."

Cheatle also said security plans for this week's Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, which began on Monday, have been bolstered in the wake of the assassination attempt.

"The Secret Service will continuously adapt our operations as necessary to ensure the highest level of safety and security for convention attendees, volunteers and the city of Milwaukee," she said.

Cheatle's remarks were issued a little more than 36 hours after Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, opened fire from a rooftop barely more than 100 yards from the stage on which Trump was speaking.

A Secret Service agent on another nearby rooftop shot and killed Crooks, but not before Trump suffered a wound to his ear. A spectator, Corey Compertatore, 50, of Sarver, Butler County, died in the attack while attempting to shield his family from the gunfire.

Two other rally attendees also were shot: David Dutch, 57, of New Kensington, Pennsylvania and James Copenhaver, 74, of Moon, Pennsylvania. Both were in stable condition on Sunday, according to the Pennsylvania State Police.

Crooks' motive for the shooting remains unclear.

As questions mount over how Crooks was able to carry out the attack, Cheatle said in a statement that the Secret Service "moved quickly during the incident, with our counter sniper team neutralizing the shooter and our agents implementing protective measures to ensure the safety of former president Donald Trump."

A Secret Service Spokesman told CNN the agency did not sweep the building where Crooks shot at Trump but relied on local law enforcement to conduct security at that location.

The spokesman added that there was supposed to be local law enforcement posted in that area, but it is unclear where that post was supposed to be located.

Calls for an investigation into the incident have come from both sides of the political aisle.

James Comer, R-Kentucky, who chairs the House Oversight Committee, said he has contacted Cheatle to appear for a hearing in the near future, the Associated Press reported.

“Political violence in all forms is un-American and unacceptable. There are many questions and Americans demand answers,” Comer said in a statement.

U.S. Rep. Ritchie Torres, D-New York, also wants a probe into what he termed “security failures” at the rally.

“The federal government must constantly learn from security failures in order to avoid repeating them, especially when those failures have implications for the nation,” Torres said.

Cheatle pledged that her agency would cooperate fully with all federal inquiries into the shooting.

"We understand the importance of the independent review announced by President Biden (Sunday) and will participate fully," she said. "We will also work with the appropriate Congressional committees on any oversight action."

This story contains information from the Associated Press.