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[Global Network Report] According to the Associated Press, regarding the attempted assassination of former US President Trump on July 13, local time, Ronald Lowe, acting director of the US Secret Service, admitted at a congressional hearing on July 30 that the department made mistakes in the incident, saying "I was ashamed of what I saw (during the field investigation)". He believed that the Secret Service had no excuse for the lack of security measures on the roof where the gunman was at the time of the incident.

Ronald Lowe (left), acting director of the U.S. Secret Service, attended a congressional hearing on July 30, local time. Photo from U.S. media

Lowe reportedly said he recently visited the shooting scene and lay on the roof of the building where the gunman was when he opened fire to assess the gunman's line of sight at the time. "What I saw made me ashamed. As a career law enforcement officer and a 25-year veteran of the Secret Service, I cannot explain why there was not better security on the roof."

The Associated Press said that Lowe acknowledged the Secret Service's mistakes and criticized the communication problems with local law enforcement. He accused local law enforcement of not promptly informing the Secret Service about the information about the gunman found in advance. Lowe said that the shooting was a "failure on multiple levels" and "I can assure you that we will not make the same mistake again."

On the evening of July 13, Trump attended a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. Crooks, a 20-year-old gunman, fired several shots at Trump from the roof of a building about 140 meters away from Trump's podium, injuring Trump's right ear and killing one spectator and seriously injuring two others. Crooks was shot dead on the spot by Secret Service personnel.

After Trump was assassinated and injured, former Secret Service Director Chittel became the target of public criticism. She had stated that she would not resign. She admitted at a hearing of the House Oversight and Accountability Committee on the 22nd that Trump's assassination and injury were the "greatest failure in decades" of the Secret Service's security work, but still showed her willingness to stay, "believing that she is the best candidate to lead the Secret Service at the moment." However, under the severe investigation of politicians from both parties, Chittel changed her position of intending to stay on the 23rd and announced her resignation as director, "taking full responsibility" for Trump's assassination and injury.