The district attorney of Butler County, Pennsylvania, Richard Goldinger, has refuted claims made by acting U.S. Secret Service Director Ronald Rowe regarding the monitoring of the rooftop where a gunman attempted to assassinate former President Trump. Goldinger clarified that the local snipers assigned to the July 13 rally were stationed at a window with a different vantage point than the one mentioned by Rowe during his Senate hearing testimony.
Goldinger explained that the snipers from the Butler and Beaver ESU teams were positioned on the second floor of a building adjacent to where the shooter, Thomas Matthew Crooks, was located. Their assigned vantage point did not allow them to see Crooks on the roof of another building, as monitoring that specific rooftop was not part of their duties.
Rowe had previously implied that local law enforcement should have detected Crooks on the roof, pointing to exhibits during his testimony that suggested the local snipers had a better view of Crooks' position than Secret Service snipers. However, a Secret Service spokesperson reiterated that the agency had coordinated with the Butler County Emergency Services Unit, which was the tactical lead for the site.
Beaver County Emergency Services Unit Commander Patrick Young confirmed that his unit followed instructions from Butler County ESU, assuming they had guidance from the Secret Service. Two snipers from the Butler and Beaver ESU were stationed inside the AGR building where Crooks opened fire.
Despite the coordination between agencies, there were communication gaps reported. Beaver County ESU sharpshooter Jason Woods mentioned a planned briefing with Secret Service agents that never occurred, leading to a lack of communication and information sharing.
During the incident, local police spotted Crooks with a rangefinder, but communication challenges hindered the timely sharing of critical information. Trump's Secret Service detail and advisers expressed concerns over the lack of communication regarding the suspicious individual identified as the would-be assassin.
Trump's team, who initially mistook the gunshots for fireworks, questioned why they were not informed about the potential threat. Trump himself highlighted the need for better communication and coordination to prevent such incidents in the future.
