Trump shooting: Why wasn't there a Secret Service agent on the roof?
Jul 18, 2024
Washington [US], July 18: In a recent interview with ABC, US Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle said that the sloping roof where the gunman used as a shooting point at former President Trump on the afternoon of July 13 in Pennsylvania (USA) was considered for "safety factors".
"That building in particular has a sloping roof, at its highest point," Cheatle said in an interview that aired on ABC's "Good Morning America" on the morning of July 16.
"And so there's a safety factor that would be considered there that we don't want to put anyone on the steep roof. And the decision was made to protect the building from the inside," Ms Cheatle continued.
The US Secret Service is facing intense scrutiny over the shooting of Mr Trump in Pennsylvania, with questions about how a gunman was able to shoot at Mr Trump from an exposed roof about 150 metres away.
Meanwhile, the US Secret Service has received support from Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas following the shooting. Mr. Mayorkas said he has "100%" confidence in the Secret Service.
Ms. Cheatle has agreed to testify before the US House Oversight Committee on July 22 in a hearing related to the shooting of former President Trump on July 13, according to Reuters citing an announcement from the US House Oversight Committee.
US President Joe Biden , who will face Mr Trump in the November election, said he had ordered an independent review of the Secret Service's handling of the incident, and Republican lawmakers also vowed to launch a swift investigation, according to Reuters.
Source: Thanh Nien Newspaper