Secret Service agents assured Butler County, Pa. law enforcement that they would secure the building from which would-be assassin Thomas Crooks shot former President Donald Trump and others during an outdoor rally on July 13, as per an investigation by Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa.
According to Grassley's office, Butler County law enforcement officials expressed concerns to the agents and counter sniper about securing the AGR complex buildings, to which the agents responded, 'we will take care of it.'
During the rally, Trump was shot in the ear, resulting in one fatality and two critical injuries. The shooter had positioned himself atop a nearby building and was known to law enforcement prior to the event.
Sen. Grassley questioned Acting Secret Service Director Ronald Rowe about the agents' commitment to securing the AGR complex area and the discrepancies in communication regarding the security measures.
Rowe had previously stated that local law enforcement had a plan and experience with the AGR building's roof, which was contradicted by interviews with law enforcement officials conducted by Grassley's staff.
The alleged commitment to secure the AGR complex area was made during a walkthrough on July 11 in preparation for the rally, with law enforcement officials raising concerns multiple times during the process.
Grassley criticized the Secret Service for withholding information in response to his inquiries, citing the agency's failure to acknowledge Congress's oversight authority and its obligations to provide responses.
Grassley's independent investigation is examining various incidents, including the July 13 assassination attempt, a plot by an alleged Iranian agent to target a politician or U.S. official, and a second assassination attempt on Trump in Florida.
