Donald Trump: How did multiple Secret Service agents NOT see the shooter?

The US Secret Service was facing serious questions last night about how a gunman managed to get close enough to shoot the former president.

Last night it was reported that a man believed to be Thomas Crooks, 20, was spotted by local police acting suspiciously near the security cordon’s metal detectors, according to a senior law enforcement official.

Sources told CNN that a radio alert was put out telling officers to keep an eye on him, and the information was passed on to the Secret Service.

Around five minutes after Donald Trump started speaking, bystanders also attempted to alert police to a figure crawling on a nearby roof clutching a rifle. “We noticed a guy army-crawling, bear-crawling, up the roof of the building beside us, 50ft away,” Greg Smith told the BBC. “We could clearly see a rifle.

“We’re pointing at him, the police are down there running around on the ground, we’re like “Hey man, there’s a guy on the roof with a rifle” . . . and the police did not know what was going on.”

Mr Smith said he tried to alert authorities but thought they could not see the gunman because of the slope of the roof.

“I’m thinking to myself “Why is Trump still speaking? Why have they not pulled him off the stage?” . . . the next thing you know, five shots ring out”, he said.

Another eyewitness, Ben Macer, claimed he saw “the guy move from roof to roof. (I) told an officer [the alleged shooter] was on the roof“.

Rally attendees had to pass through metal detectors to ensure they were not bringing in any weapons. But the shooter remained outside the security cordon, hiding on a rooftop 433ft away from the stage, raising questions about the size of the perimeter and efforts to sweep the surrounding area.

Former FBI director Andrew McCabe told CNN: “One of the most basic elements of site security is eliminating sight lines to this space where the protectee will be speaking.

“When you look at that map, it so clearly points to those buildings that are within it, clearly within shooting range.”

The building where the gunman fired from was outside the perimeter of the rally, so it was secured by local law enforcement, not Secret Service agents, said the agency’s spokesman, Anthony Gugliemi. Four counter-sniper teams were covering the rally, two from the Secret Service and two from local police agencies, he added.

Ohio Republican Representative Mike Turner, the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, said: “I think it’s very frustrating because we believe that our presidents and former presidents or candidates for president have the highest degree of protection.”

Florida Republican representative Mike Waltz claimed on X: “I have very reliable sources telling me there have been repeated requests for stronger Secret Service protection for President Trump.”

But Mr Guglielmi said: “There’s an untrue assertion that a former president’s team member requested additional security resources and that those were rebuffed. This is absolutely false.

“We added protective resources, technology, and capabilities as part of the increased campaign tempo.” Kevin Rojek, the FBI special agent in charge of the Pittsburgh office, added: “There was no additional request for security that the FBI ever denied.”

In a campaign memo, Trump officials told staff last night to stay away from their offices in Washington and Florida while they assess security.

Secret Service director Kimberly Cheatle has been summoned to testify before a committee of the US House of Representatives on July 22.