In a scathing internal investigation, Secret Service agents have come under fire for failing to implement adequate safeguards that could have obstructed the would-be assassin's view of former President Donald Trump during his campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. Plans were reportedly discussed to use cranes, trucks, and flags to block the line of sight from the AGR International building, where the assailant opened fire, to the stage where the 45th president was shot.

However, the investigation revealed that Secret Service supervisors who arrived at the site on July 13 found that the heavy equipment and flags were not positioned in a way that impeded the view between the AGR building and the stage. The findings of the probe, set to be released next week, also disclosed that the agency failed to instruct local police to secure the rooftop from which the gunman attempted to assassinate Trump.

The assailant, identified as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, was perched atop the AGR building, approximately 130 yards from the rally stage, when he fired eight rounds. Tragically, one rallygoer was killed, two others were injured, and Trump himself was struck on the ear. The gunman was subsequently neutralized by a Secret Service counter-sniper.

Immediately following the shooting, the Secret Service placed responsibility for securing and patrolling the factory grounds of AGR International on local police. However, the investigation further revealed a worrying breakdown in communication between federal and local authorities. The Secret Service's radio room, meant to receive real-time alerts, was unable to receive messages from the police stationed outside.

Previous reports had indicated that law enforcement had spotted Crooks nearly an hour before Trump took the stage, using a rangefinder and looking at his phone. Yet, Secret Service agents were unaware of these sightings and did not hear local police discussing efforts to track down the assailant until just 10 minutes before Trump began speaking.

Acting Secret Service Director Ronald Rowe acknowledged the need for accountability in addressing the security lapses identified in the report. He also announced the launch of another review aimed at bolstering security measures for the numerous government officials protected by the agency.

Rowe recently briefed members of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee on the report's findings. Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle expressed their shock and disappointment at the security failures during Trump's rally. Senator Richard Blumenthal, Chair of the panel's Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, stated that the American people would be "shocked, astonished, and appalled" by the revealed shortcomings of the Secret Service in this assassination attempt on a former president.

The report's release next week is expected to reignite discussions on the need for enhanced security measures and coordination between federal and local authorities during high-profile events.