How Did the Would-be Trump Assassin Get So Close?

Former President Donald Trump’s assassination attempt leads many to question how the Secret Service allowed a gunman to fire from an elevated position 130 yards away.

The Details: Moments before gunfire erupted at the Trump rally Saturday, eyewitnesses saw Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, from Bethel Park, Pa., climbing onto a roof with a rifle, where they quickly alerted law enforcement. Police attempted accessing the roof, however, one officer was met with a gun pointed at him, being unable to retrieve a weapon, he let go and dropped out of harm's way.

For Context: Directly after the officers retreated, Crooks opened fire, grazing Trump’s ear, killing one rallygoer, and critically wounding two others. This was met with lethal force as a U.S. Secret Service counter-sniper fired four rounds back at Crooks. FBI officials say Crooks apparently worked alone. Trump is set to attend another rally in Milwaukee tomorrow.

How the Media Covered It: Media across the spectrum both condemned and questioned the shooting, especially security flaws at the event. Some outlets like the Daily Signal (Right bias) accused Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle of allowing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) to purportedly compromise the ability to secure Trump. Media on the left tended to place more emphasis on President Biden’s responses to the shooting, showing that Biden directed a review of Secret Service security measures for the upcoming Republican National Convention as well as an independent review of security at the rally.