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Scroll down for the complete text of U.S. Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle statement 

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U.S. Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle issued a statement in which she asserted the following:

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. 

The “counter sniper team” consisted of the riflemen posted on the two barns (with white roofs) behind the stage. With that in mind, consider the following photograph.

From their vantage point on the barn roofs, the counter snipers could plainly see that there were NO SENTRIES on the building to the north. They could also see the bystanders on the ground to the left of the building, frantically gesturing towards the roof for minutes prior to Crooks reaching the ridge and firing the shots.

The barn roofs are higher than the roof of the building from which Crooks fired. That at least one of the counter-snipers could see him is evidenced by the fact that the counter-sniper ultimately shot Crooks in the head.

There is simply no exculpatory explanation for this incident. Obviously, not a single sentry was posted on the building. Note the higher building just behind and slightly to the left of the building from which Crooks fired. This was a painfully obvious location to post a sentry who could have secured the rooftops and observe the event from a perfect vantage point.

Cheatle has zero credibility. The totality of circumstances indicates that security was deliberately withdrawn from the building, thereby granting a would-be assassin easy access to its rooftop with a clear line of sight to the stage on which Trump spoke.

It will be interesting to see if the local police remain silent or if media outlets like CNN continue to quote unnamed “law enforcement” sources making dubious statements that raise more questions than they answer.

I suspect that local law enforcement officials have been given the strong impression that this is a matter for federal agents, meaning there is nothing to be gained by discussing it with the media.

Statement From U.S. Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle

I would like to start by extending my deepest condolences to the family and friends of Corey Comperatore, who was killed during the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump’s life in Butler, Pennsylvania, Saturday, as well as those who were injured during this senseless act of violence.

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. 

Since the shooting, I have been in constant contact with Secret Service personnel in Pennsylvania who worked to maintain the integrity of the crime scene until the FBI assumed its role as the lead investigating agency into the assassination attempt. I have also been coordinating with the protective detail for former President Trump and have briefed President Biden on the details of the incident.  

The Secret Service is working with all involved Federal, state and local agencies to understand what happened, how it happened, and how we can prevent an incident like this from ever taking place again. We understand the importance of the independent review announced by President Biden yesterday and will participate fully. We will also work with the appropriate Congressional committees on any oversight action.

The incident in Pennsylvania has understandably led to questions about potential updates or changes to the security for the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. The U.S. Secret Service, in conjunction with our Federal, state and local law enforcement and public safety partners, designs operational security plans for National Special Security Events (NSSE) to be dynamic in order to respond to a kinetic security environment and the most up-to-date intelligence from our partners.

I am confident in the security plan our Secret Service RNC coordinator and our partners have put in place, which we have reviewed and strengthened in the wake of Saturday’s shooting. The security plans for National Special Security Events are designed to be flexible. As the conventions progress, and in accordance with the direction of the President, the Secret Service will continuously adapt our operations as necessary in order to ensure the highest level of safety and security for convention attendees, volunteers and the City of Milwaukee. In addition to the additional security enhancements we provided former President Trump’s detail in June, we have also implemented changes to his security detail since Saturday to ensure his continued protection for the convention and the remainder of the campaign. 

The Secret Service is tasked with the tremendous responsibility of protecting the current and former leaders of our democracy. It is a responsibility that I take incredibly seriously, and I am committed to fulfilling that mission. 

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