U.S. Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle has promised that her agency will actively participate in a review ordered by President Joe Biden into the assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump on Saturday, which resulted in the death of one Butler, Pennsylvania rally attendee and injuries to two others.
In her first public statement since Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, allegedly killed Corey Comperatore and injured two others while attempting to murder Trump, Cheatle said that the Secret Service would cooperate fully with other law enforcement and investigative bureaus as they delve into the incident.
Since the shooting, Cheatle has been in constant contact with Secret Service personnel in Pennsylvania who worked to maintain the integrity of the crime scene until the FBI assumed its role as the lead investigating agency into the assassination attempt. She has also been coordinating with the protective detail for former President Trump and has briefed President Biden on the details of the incident.
The Secret Service is collaborating with all involved Federal, state, and local agencies to understand what happened, how it happened, and how they can prevent an incident like this from ever taking place again. Cheatle confirmed that her agency understands the importance of the independent review announced by President Biden yesterday, and will participate fully in it.
In addition to participating in the review, the Secret Service will also work with the appropriate Congressional committees on any oversight actions. In her full statement, Cheatle expressed her condolences to the family of the deceased victim, Corey Comperatore, and shared that she is confident in the Secret Service’s strengthened security measures ahead of the Republican National Convention.
Biden announced the “independent review” from the White House on Sunday, saying he ordered it “to assess exactly what happened” at the Butler Trump rally. He added, “And we’ll share the results of that independent review with the American people as well.