New Video Raises Questions Over Secret Service's Response Time During Trump Assassination Attempt | Watch

A new split-screen video showing the moments leading up to the assassination attempt on former US President Donald Trump has sparked online discussion about the Secret Service’s response.

Some attendees at the Trump election rally in Pennsylvania noticed the gunman on the roof at least two minutes before the shooting.

The video, created by a user named @TheMilkBarTV on the social media platform ‘X’, recreates the timeline from footage taken by a bystander. It shows people pointing to the man suspected of shooting at Trump and frantically warning law enforcement before the first burst of gunfire rang out.

In the footage, the gunman is seen crawling on a nearby roof, alarming the crowd to shout. The shooter can be seen positioning himself at a nearby building approximately 130 yards away from where Trump was addressing the crowd.

“Someone’s on top of the roof,” one person is heard saying. Another shouts, “Right here, right on the roof!” while calling to an officer.

Commenting on the video, one user wrote, “It appears that potentially THREE police officers were nonchalantly watching as the shooter was crawling into place. People began calling out to the police in warning. Trump should have been evacuated from stage IMMEDIATELY. This is a MASSIVE FAILURE on all levels.”

Another user commented, “1 minute and 56 seconds elapsed after people initially alerted to the presence of the shooter to shots being fired. 116 seconds. 40 seconds into that window, 12-15 people were alerting to his presence. About 60 seconds in—they had alerted a LEO. Think about that.”

Another user added, “Every member of the law enforcement who failed to execute their duties needs to be fired and prosecuted. This was deliberate.”

During Saturday’s campaign event, the 78-year-old former US president was injured but survived an assassination attempt, a brazen attack that shocked a nation already deeply polarised ahead of the November presidential election.

The FBI identified the suspect as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, who was later killed by law enforcement agents. The incident also resulted in the death of one spectator and the injury of another.

US Secret Service under pressure

Facing growing criticism over the massive security failure, the US Secret Service on Monday vowed to cooperate with an independent review after the shooter was allowed to open fire on Trump.

“The Secret Service is working with all involved Federal, state and local agencies to understand what happened, how it happened, and how we can prevent an incident like this from ever taking place again,” the agency’s director Kimberly Cheatle said in a statement.

“We understand the importance of the independent review announced by President (Joe) Biden yesterday and will participate fully,” Cheatle added.

(With inputs from AFP)