At least five Secret Service agents have reportedly been placed on leave as the investigation into the attempted assassination of Donald Trump continues. Multiple outlets reported on Friday, August 23, that several members and the head of the Pittsburgh field office in addition to one person from Trump’s team were placed on leave more than one month following the shooting.
On July 13, Matthew Thomas Crooks fired several shots into a Trump rally that was held in Butler, Pennsylvania. The Republican Party candidate’s ear was grazed by a bullet. Security personnel jumped into action after Trump was struck, and they escorted him to a nearby car.
Other attendees were struck by bullets, including firefighter Corey Comperatore, who died as a result. Two others were also shot, but they survived.
Trump, 78, thanked the Secret Service in a public statement following the incident.
“I want to thank the United States Secret Service, and all of law enforcement, for their rapid response on the shooting that just took place in Butler, Pennsylvania,” Trump wrote via Truth Social. “Most importantly, I want to extend my condolences to the family of the person at the rally who was killed, and also to the family of another person that was badly injured.”
Two days after the shooting took place, former Secret Service director, Kimberly Cheatle, released a statement about the ordeal. Government officials questioned how the shooting happened if Secret Service agents were present.
“Secret Service personnel on the ground moved quickly during the incident, with our counter sniper team neutralizing the shooter and our agents implementing protective measures to ensure the safety of former president Donald Trump,” part of Cheatle’s statement read.
Following a hearing in front of the United States House Committee on Oversight and Accountability, Cheatle resigned from her position on July 23. She was replaced by Ronald L. Rowe, Jr.
After several Secret Service agents were placed on leave one month later, spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi insisted that the organization’s “mission assurance review is progressing, and we are examining the processes, procedures and factors that led to this operational failure,” according to CBS News.
He added that the Secret Service “holds our personnel to the highest professional standards, and any identified and substantiated violations of policy will be investigated by the Office of Professional Responsibility for potential disciplinary action.”