On July 13, the U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs released an investigative report stating that there were 'multiple and unacceptable failures' by the U.S. Secret Service during the shooting incident at Donald Trump’s campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania on July 13, 2024.
According to Xinhua News Agency, Senator Rand Paul, chairman of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, said the report reveals 'disturbing communication failures and negligence.'
The report states that prior to the campaign rally in Butler, Secret Service headquarters had rejected at least two resource allocation requests related to the event. In addition, communication between the Secret Service and local law enforcement agencies was inadequate.
The report asserts that more people should be held accountable beyond the current six, and that the disciplinary actions given to two of them were below the recommended standards. The report offers no new information about the shooter's motivation but blames the Secret Service for 'a series of completely avoidable failures that nearly cost Trump his life.'
'Despite these failures, no one has been fired,' said Paul. 'We must hold the relevant personnel accountable.'
At the Butler campaign rally, shooter Crooks opened fire on Trump, injuring his right ear and causing the death of one attendee and injury of two others at the scene. Several days after the shooting, then-Secret Service Director Cheatle resigned. Six Secret Service agents received disciplinary suspensions ranging from 10 to 42 days due to the incident.