Overview
- The July 13, 2024 rally in Butler, Pennsylvania ended when Thomas Matthew Crooks fired from a nearby rooftop, grazing President Trump, killing a bystander and injuring others before law enforcement shot the attacker.
- Two DHS Office of Inspector General reports released July 2, 2026 found the Secret Service failed to receive 102 local law enforcement radio transmissions because it did not establish a joint communications room with local police.
- Investigators found the agency’s counter‑drone system was inoperable during a nearly nine‑minute drone flight used to scout the site and that the capability was staffed by a single under‑trained operator who did not test the equipment before the event.
- Advance planning lapses left a clear rooftop line of sight to the stage unblocked after the agency identified the AGR complex as a risk and available measures, including parking trucks to obstruct the view, were not implemented.
- The OIG issued a set of reforms; the Secret Service has agreed with the findings, disciplined staff, and reported starting fixes while Congress and oversight bodies press for fuller implementation as the agency faces heavy event demands.