The Secret Service had reportedly photographed Thomas Matthew Crooks 62 minutes before Crooks made his attempt on former President Donald Trump’s life, according to a Wednesday senate briefing on the assassination attempt.
The closed door meeting was held on Wednesday afternoon after Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer called for a sit-down with the Department of Justice, FBI and Secret Service on Tuesday, according to the Hill.
Two senators who were on the briefing call told Punchbowl News reporter Andrew Desiderio that beyond being photographed “as suspicious” nearly an hour before he opened fire on the former president, snipers had also spotted him 20 minutes before he started shooting.
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Crooks also reportedly visited the site two days before in an apparent bid to plan the attack.
FBI Director Christopher Wray also said during the briefing that Crooks was using encrypted communications. Wray added Crooks’ motive is still unclear.
The FBI director said his agency has conducted over 200 interviews since the assassination attempt, according to Punchbowl News reporter Mica Soellner who was also briefed on the call.
Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle also reportedly “acknowledged failure” in the Secret Service’s response.
The FBI added they have yet to uncover any “political or ideological info” of Crooks.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) and Rep. Hakeem Jefferies (D-NY) announced during the call that they pressed Secret Service and FBI to have a classified briefing on the assassination next week.
“This was a 100% cover-your-ass briefing. He was identified as being suspicious one hour before the shooting. He had a range finder and a backpack. The Secret Service lost sight of him,” Sen. John Barrasso (R-WY) said of the meeting in a statement to Politico.
“No one has taken responsibility. No one has been held responsible,” he added. “Someone has died. The President was almost killed. The head of the Secret Service needs to go.”
