Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle faced criticism for the agency’s response to the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump in Pennsylvania.
Despite a delay in neutralizing the shooter after initial spotting, Cheatle defended the response time, calling it acceptable.
Concerns were raised regarding the agency’s focus on diversity over security and previous incidents within the Secret Service related to mental health breakdowns affecting agents.
“[Cheatle] is responsible for successfully executing the agency’s integrated mission of protection and investigations by leading a diverse workforce composed of more than 7,800 Special Agents, Uniformed Division Officers, Technical Law Enforcement Officers, and Administrative, Professional, and Technical personnel,” Cheatle’s profile on the government’s website reads.
Calls for Cheatle’s resignation emerged, given the perceived lapses and handling of security incidents.
“Crooks was spotted by law enforcement on a roof nearly 30 minutes before shots were fired that injured Trump, killed a former fire chief, and injured two others in the crowd,” Pittsburgh station WPXI-TV reported.
“Channel 11′s Nicole Ford confirmed that Beaver County’s [emergency service unit] team had eight members at the rally, including snipers and spotters,” the report added.
“According to Ford’s sources, one of them noticed a suspicious man on a roof near the rally at 5:45 p.m., called it in and took a picture of the person. We have learned from our sources the person in that picture is Thomas Crooks. We’re told it’s not clear if Crooks had a gun with him at that point,” WPXI wrote.
“26 minutes after the second picture of Crooks was taken by law enforcement and the information called in, shots were fired from the roof of the American Glass Research building. Seconds later, a Secret Service sniper returned fire and killed Crooks.”
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas expressed confidence in Cheatle, pending an independent review of the events surrounding the assassination attempt.
“I don’t have all the details yet, but it was a very short period of time,” Cheatle said.
“Seeking that person out, finding them, identifying them and eventually neutralizing them took place in a very short period of time, and it makes it very difficult,” she said.
“I have full confidence in the leadership of the United States Secret Service,” Mayorkas said. “An independent review will make factual findings and recommendations based on those findings, and I look forward to studying those findings and recommendations and acting accordingly.”
