Snipers weren't placed on 'sloping roof' used by would-be Trump assassin over 'safety' concerns

16 July 2024, 20:08 | Updated: 16 July 2024, 20:45

Snipers weren't placed on the "sloping roof" used by the shooter who attempted to assassinate Presidential nominee Donald Trump over "safety concerns", the head of the US Secret Service has admitted.

Agency Chief Kimberly Cheatle said: "That building in particular has a sloped roof at its highest point.

"And so, you know, there’s a safety factor that would be considered there that we wouldn’t want to put somebody up on a sloped roof.

Cheatle added the Agency knew the roof was a vulnerable point but chose not to place personnel on it anyway.

Speaking to ABC News, she said: "The decision was made to secure the building, from inside."

From the roof Thomas Crooks had a clear line of sight to Trump at the Republican candidate's rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday.

Crooks opened fire at the event nicking Trump's ear, killing former firefighter Corey Comperatore and injuring two others before he was shot dead.

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Cheatle has admitted "the buck stops with me" as she responded to calls to resign over the agency's handling of the incident - but she has so far refused to step down.

Speaking about the assassination attempt, Cheatle said: “It was unacceptable, and it’s something that shouldn’t happen again.”

“It was obviously a situation that as a Secret Service agent, no one ever wants to occur in their career,

“The buck stops with me. I am the director of the Secret Service, and I need to make sure that we are performing a review and that we are giving resources to our personnel as necessary.”

Trump on Sunday said he had survived the shooting "by luck or by God".