The Department of Homeland Security’s Inspector General said Wednesday that it has opened an investigation into the Secret Service’s handling of security at former President Trump’s Saturday rally when a gunman attempted to assassinate him.
The probe was listed under the “Counter Terrorism and Homeland Threats” mission area on the Inspector General’s website. It had no date listed for when the probe was opened.
The investigation was first reported by The Associated Press.
President Biden said Sunday that he spoke with Trump and has directed an independent review of security at the Butler, Pa., rally. Biden said the FBI is leading the investigation into the shooting but called for an independent review of the security protocol.
Multiple congressional committees are also launching their own probes.
A 20-year-old gunman, identified as Thomas Matthew Crooks, was killed by Secret Service after he fired multiple shots toward the stage where Trump was speaking. A bullet grazed the former president’s ear, one event attendee was killed and two others were critically injured.
Questions have mounted in recent days about how the gunman was able to climb a rooftop nearby and have a clear line of sight to Trump speaking at the event. The Secret Service is facing heightened scrutiny, in particular over its communication with local law enforcement.
Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle said that the agency was “solely responsible” for Saturday’s protocol, clarifying a previous response that said local law enforcement was responsible for that particular building.
Cheatle said there were certain “safety factors” when securing the building, including the building’s sloped roof. They opted to secure the building from inside, instead of on top.
The AP noted that the Secret Service has roughly 7,800 staff members responsible for protecting presidents, vice presidents, their families, former presidents, their spouses and their minor children under the age of 16, as well as several high-level Cabinet officials.
