Investigation reveals critical gap in response to Trump assassination attempt

According to sources familiar with the matter, U.S. Secret Service snipers first spotted 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks on a rooftop outside the security zone at the Butler, Pennsylvania rally at 5:52 p.m. ET. It was 20 minutes later, at 6:12 p.m. ET, when shots were fired at Trump.

Following the incident, scrutiny has intensified over the Secret Service's response, prompting calls for Director Kim Cheatle's resignation. Investigators discovered that Crooks had searched for images of President Joe Biden, former President Trump, and details about the rally in Butler, as well as the Democratic National Convention dates in Chicago.

Despite these findings, Crooks' political motives remain unclear, with his phone history showing no indication of his views. Lawmakers were briefed by the FBI director, deputy director, and Secret Service head that Crooks had been flagged as a person of interest a full 62 minutes before the shooting occurred. (ILKHA)