SECURITY FAILURES at Trump Rally Spark Outrage
— Two local law enforcement officers left their post to search for a suspicious man before the shooting at former President Donald Trump’s rally. This decision raises questions about whether a key position was left unattended as the shooter climbed onto a roof.
Pennsylvania State Police Col. Christopher Paris testified that the officers were stationed at a second-floor window with a clear view of the roof where Thomas Matthew Crooks opened fire. Paris admitted uncertainty about whether staying at their post would have allowed them to see Crooks climbing onto the adjacent building’s roof.
The testimony before the House Homeland Security Committee sheds light on security preparations for Trump’s rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, but also highlights potential lapses in law enforcement decisions. The Butler County District Attorney and Secret Service have not responded to requests for comments on who ordered the officers to leave their post.
The incident has sparked growing concerns over multiple security failures that enabled Crooks to fire eight shots into the crowd, resulting in one death and two injuries. Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle resigned after being criticized by lawmakers for what she called the agency’s “most significant operational failure” in decades.