A new report from a House task force investigating an assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump during a campaign rally on July 13 criticizes the Secret Service for a lack of planning and coordination with local law enforcement. The report states that there were missed opportunities for law enforcement to engage the shooter, who eventually fired shots at the rally, killing one person and injuring three others, including Trump. The report describes fragmented lines of communication that allowed the shooter to evade authorities and climb onto the roof of a building to carry out the attack. Despite efforts by local law enforcement to alert others about the armed individual, the message did not reach Trump’s Secret Service detail in time. The report highlights the lack of coordination among different law enforcement agencies on the day of the rally, including separate briefings held by Butler County Emergency Services Unit and the Butler Township Police Department that the Secret Service did not participate in. The task force is still conducting interviews and investigating the incident, as well as a separate alleged assassination attempt against Trump in Florida. Requests for information have been made to federal agencies involved in the investigation. The Secret Service has not yet responded to requests for comment on the report.
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