The US Secret Service has announced that six of its personnel have been suspended due to their lack of response during a rally for Donald Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania, where a gunman attempted an assassination. This incident, which took place last year, resulted in the death of attendee Corey Comperatore and left Trump narrowly escaping injury after a bullet grazed his ear.
In a statement, Matt Quinn, the deputy director of the Secret Service, described the event as an "operational failure" and stressed that they are committed to ensuring such an incident does not happen again. The staff suspensions ranged from 10 to 42 days without pay, but the specifics of their roles and identities have not been revealed.
Quinn assured improvements are underway, utilizing advanced military-grade drones and upgraded mobile command posts for field operations. The scrutiny on the agency was heightened following a Senate report emphasizing serious security lapses that led to the shooting, suggesting preventable oversights such as not securing the rooftop. The incident has led to increased security measures for Trump following the attack, as he was a prominent candidate during the election.
In the wake of the incident, former Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle resigned, and the agency faces ongoing scrutiny from Congress for its operational management and internal communication failures.
