(Ken Silva, Headline USA) The Secret Service counter-sniper who shot alleged would-be Trump assassin Thomas Crooks was put on desk duty, and was never interviewed or debriefed by his superiors, according to newly released interview transcripts from the House Task Force investigating the Trump assassination attempts.
The Task Force’s interview with the sniper, who’s full name hasn’t been released, took place on Nov. 21 (crowd-sourced research indicates his last name is King). One of the first questions from the Task Force was whether the sniper had been debriefed by the Secret Service, and what his duties were following the July 13 deadly campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
“And what was the duration of that desk duty or administrative leave you were placed on?” a Task Force investigator asked, to which the sniper responded: “I’m still currently on desk duty awaiting full clearance for me to continue to do my protective travel.”
The Secret Service counter-sniper who shot the would-be J13 Trump assassin was never debriefed or interviewed by his own agency, and he remains on duty — at least as of Nov. 21, when this interview was conducted pic.twitter.com/dzOoeDVLYe
— Ken Silva (@JD_Cashless) December 13, 2024
The Task Force investigator then asked whether the sniper has been debriefed. The sniper, who’s been with the Secret Service for over 21 years, said he hadn’t.
“Have you been told that the Secret Service is planning to interview you at any juncture?” the investigator pressed further. Again, the sniper said he had no indication if or when he’d be interviewed.
Later in the interview, the sniper was once again asked whether he’d been interviewed by anyone other than the Task Force. The counter-sniper said he spoke to the FBI and Pennsylvania State Police in a “joint interview” on July 19, but that was it.
“Did you participate in any debriefings after the shooting?” the Task Force asked, apparently just to be sure.
“No,” the counter-sniper responded.
“Did you speak at all with [REDACTED, REDACTED], who is the former assistant director of the Office of Protective Operations?”
“No.”
“Did the counter sniper team hold its own debrief?”
“No,” the sniper said yet again.
“Is that normal?” he was asked.
“It’s our first shooting, so we’ve never done this before,” he responded.
The Secret Service sniper was also asked about when he first saw Crooks, and when he fired. Headline USA has reported extensively on the fact that the Secret Service didn’t return fire until 15 seconds after Crooks started shooting—and some 10 seconds after a local cop shot at him first.
The counter-sniper said he only saw Crooks after the would-be assassin took his first eight shots, and after the local cop fired back. A Secret Service lawyer present during the interview also disputed the 15-second timeline—even though that information was provided by his own boss, Acting Director Ronald Rowe.
The Task Force interviewed the SS counter-sniper who killed the would-be Trump assassin, and finally questioned what I've been screaming about since July (see below).
And well, well well: The Secret Service's own lawyer wouldn't let his client answer. The lawyer wouldn't even… https://t.co/uUadnBS9ed pic.twitter.com/YQWoGfrjHe— Ken Silva (@JD_Cashless) December 13, 2024
“I don’t know what the basis of the director’s statement about 15 seconds is,” the lawyer said, adding that he didn’t “accept the representation” provided by the video evidence.
The Secret Service counter-sniper’s interview was one of 46 federal, state and local transcripts released by the Task Force. Headline USA is in the process of reviewing them all.
Ken Silva is a staff writer at Headline USA. Follow him at x.com/jd_cashless.
