Secret Service admits “failure” –

WASHINGTON (EFE).— The acting director of the United States Secret Service, Ronald Rowe, said yesterday that the agency assumes “full responsibility” for the security errors that occurred on the day of the attempted assassination of former president and Republican candidate Donald Trump at an election rally in Pennsylvania, and he exonerated the local police of blame.

“The Secret Service takes full responsibility for the tragic events of July 13. It was a failed mission. Our job is to keep our protected people from being in harm’s way, and we failed,” Rowe told a news conference. She took over from Kimberly Cheatle, who resigned after the attack.

Rowe said, as he had already pointed out last Tuesday at a Senate hearing, that the local police never notified the Secret Service that they had detected an armed man in the vicinity of Trump’s rally in Butler (Pennsylvania), but clarified that his agency does not blame local agents for what happened.

“In no way should any state or local agency that supported us in Butler on July 13 be held responsible for the failure of our Secret Service,” the director said.

Rowe pointed to the Secret Service’s failure to monitor the rooftop from which 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks fired an assault rifle at Trump’s rally 120 yards away, wounding the Republican in the ear and killing one member of the audience.

“That roof should have been covered. We should have been on the lookout for that,” he lamented.

Police were reportedly alerted to Crooks’ presence on the roof 30 seconds before he began shooting, but the Secret Service said the message never reached its officers.

Rowe reiterated that the snipers had “no knowledge” that there was a gunman “until they heard the shots.”

The acting director of the agency, which is tasked with protecting presidents, former presidents and embassies, said a thorough review of the errors has been launched and disciplinary action will be taken if necessary.

Rowe made it his goal to regain public trust in the Secret Service.