US Secret Service admits mistakes during first assassination attempt on Trump
Photo: former US President Donald Trump (getty images)
An investigation by the US Secret Service revealed communication gaps and a lack of vigilance in the lead-up to an attempted assassination of US presidential candidate Donald Trump during a July rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, according to Reuters.
"There was complacency on the part of "some agents" that led to a breach of security protocols," Acting Secret Service Director Ronald Rowe told reporters on Friday, adding that agency employees will be held accountable.
“These penalties will be administered according to our disciplinary process,” Rowe said, declining to provide further details.
He defended the Secret Service's actions during the second assassination attempt on Trump at his Florida golf club on Sunday. In that case, a Secret Service agent shot a suspect after spotting a rifle.
“It appears that those agents, those supervisors, made swift decisions and made correct decisions,” Rowe said.
Rowe emphasized that Trump is receiving the same level of protection as President Joe Biden and Democratic presidential candidate Vice President Kamala Harris.
The internal Secret Service investigation uncovered communication gaps between federal and local law enforcement. Trump's security team was unaware that state and local authorities were pursuing a suspicious individual who later opened fire.
Second attempt on Trump’s life
As a reminder, on the evening of Sunday, September 15, Trump’s campaign team announced that the former president was safe after shots were fired in his vicinity.
The FBI later referred to the incident as an apparent assassination attempt on former President Trump, according to the Associated Press.
The incident occurred at the Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida. Secret Service agents guarding Trump reportedly spotted an armed man and opened fire on him. The suspect was later apprehended in his vehicle and is in custody.
The suspect, identified as 58-year-old Ryan Route, had previous legal issues and was active on social media, particularly on political topics. According to the AP, Root expressed support for Ukraine on social media and allegedly operated a website attempting to raise money and recruit volunteers for the war against Russia.
On September 16, a federal court in Florida filed initial charges against him.
No further information has been provided regarding the suspect’s motives.
