A closer look: See the 8 findings detailed by the task force’s report on the July 13 Butler County Trump rally
Information contained in a preliminary report from the task force investigating the July 13 assassination attempt of former President Donald Trump did not surprise local emergency response officials, who testified during the investigation.
Ed Lenz, commander of the Butler County Emergency Services Unit, said Thursday, Oct. 24, that he and members of the ESU have spoken with the congressional task force, as well as the FBI, U.S. Secret Service, the U.S. Senate Homeland Security Committee and more.
On Sunday, Oct. 20, the task force, lead by U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly, R-16th, released preliminary findings from Phase 1 of its investigation, which showed that communication was lacking between the federal agencies on scene — U.S. Secret Service and the FBI — and local departments.
As indicated in the report, the federal agencies were in charge of securing the Butler Farm Show grounds, while the local agencies were there to support that aim.
“I think they have done a really good job compiling all of the information they have been given,” Lenz said of the task force. “We are glad that good information is getting out.”
The congressional task force has interviewed several Butler County emergency response officials who were on duty the day of the assassination attempt, to find gaps in planning that may have led to the shooting that grazed Trump, killed Corey Comperatore, of Buffalo Township, and seriously injured two other spectators, David Dutch, of New Kensington, and James Copenhaver, of Moon Township.
The first public hearing by the task force took place Sept. 26, in Washington, D.C., and highlighted inconsistencies in communication with the Secret Service and lapses in security. Drew Blasko, of Butler Township Police Department; John Herold, lieutenant with the state police; Patrick Sullivan, a former U.S. Secret Service agent; and Lenz testified at the hearing.
According to the report, an “unclear chain of command” and “fragmented lines of communication” kept local officers from getting information to federal agents on-scene.
Samuel Rosenberg, an adjunct professor at Slippery Rock University who teaches personnel security, said the planning period from the announcement of the rally to the day of was potentially enough planning time, but only barely. The rally was announced July 3, and planning took place from then to the day of the rally.
“It’s on the very near end of the threshold,” Rosenberg said. “If you only have several days, you use that to the best of your ability. It would generally take weeks or months to plan.”
Rosenberg also said follow-up investigations on what he called a “catastrophic failure” could lead to better planning in the future, because a review of what happened could establish better protocols for responding in emergency and even worst-case scenarios.
“The biggest issue I have is, why do we not even know who is in charge of this event, specifically?” Rosenberg said. “There had to be, for lack of a better word, a team leader who is responsible for signing off on the advance plan and advance work.”
Butler County Sheriff Mike Slupe said the report from the task force demonstrates his office had followed the instructions of the federal agencies leading the security planning for the rally.
“After reviewing the report, it solidifies my position that the sheriff's office and deputies did their job that day,” Slupe said.
Butler County District Attorney Richard Goldinger said his office has not recently been interviewed for federal investigations, and the findings in the report from the task force line up with information he was already familiar with.
“There wasn't anything in there that I didn't expect,” Goldinger said of the report.
Finding 1 There was inadequate planning and coordination before the rally on July 13, 2024. There was no joint meeting between the United States Secret Service, state police and local law enforcement on the day of the rally. It remains unclear whether certain assignments were communicated by the Secret Service to local partners. The Secret Service did not effectively verify responsibilities were understood and being executed.
Finding 2 The AGR complex, and the surrounding area, were not part of the secure perimeter. Despite proximity to a main road, clear sight lines to the stage and its elevated overlook, the Secret Service placed the AGR complex outside the secure perimeter for the event, and the AGR complex was not otherwise secured.
Finding 3 Local sniper teams inside the AGR complex had a narrow field of vision and were not positioned to monitor the AGR property. The sniper teams in the AGR complex understood their assignment to be limited to overwatch of the rally site, rather than securing the AGR buildings, AGR roof or the areas around the AGR complex.
Finding 4 There was no unified command post to facilitate communications between the Secret Service and its state and local partners. There were two command posts on the day of the event. Though the Secret Service command post could have accommodated more people, key local law enforcement partners were in a separate trailer in a separate part of the vast Butler Farm Show property, and there was no dedicated radio link between law enforcement in the two posts.
Finding 5 Critical pieces of information about shooter Thomas Matthew Crooks and the escalating threat situation at the AGR complex moved slowly due to fragmented lines of communication and unclear chains of command on July 13. Moments before Crooks fired, a local law enforcement officer radioed that Crooks was on the roof with a gun. There is no evidence, to date, that this information reached the former President’s detail, and he remained on stage.
Finding 6 Testimony from local law enforcement indicates that they fired a shot at Crooks prior to the Secret Service sniper firing the kill shot. While the exact order of shots remains unclear, testimony from local law enforcement states that they took a shot in Crooks’ direction, which may have caused Crooks to stop firing.
Finding 7 Crooks did not use a ladder to access the AGR roof. Crooks did purchase a ladder on July 13, but he subsequently abandoned that ladder in a wooded area in Bethel Park, Pa. The ladder viewed in the widely circulated photographs of the AGR complex was placed by local law enforcement to access the roof after the assassination attempt.
Finding 8 The autopsy report indicates a single bullet killed Crooks. The report indicates a single entry wound on the upper left lip and a corresponding exit wound in the rear neck area. The wounds are consistent with a high velocity bullet from a distant range. There is no evidence of an entry wound from a second bullet.
