The bipartisan special committee of the United States House of Representatives responsible for investigating the assassination attempts on Donald Trump will hold its first hearing on September 26 (next Thursday). This hearing will focus on the Secret Service’s lapse during the attempt on Trump’s life in July, as well as the issue of the Secret Service’s reliance on state and local law enforcement agencies.
At the time, Trump was shot at by a gunman with a rifle during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, resulting in injuries to the upper half of his right ear. The incident also led to one fatality and two injuries among the crowd. The suspect was shot dead on the spot.
The chairs of the bipartisan committee, Republican Mike Kelly and Democratic Ranking Member Jason Crow, decided this week to expand the investigation into the assassination attempts on Trump and to include the second incident where Trump was targeted in Florida. They have requested briefings with the Secret Service, as well as sent letters to the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security requesting attendance at briefings and documents.
The bipartisan committee of the House plans to submit the final report by December 13. However, due to the upcoming recess in October, the investigation needs to proceed at a faster pace than usual.
As of the time of reporting, the bipartisan committee has not yet released the list of witnesses for the hearing.
Currently, the prosecutor has arrested Ross on two charges of violating federal gun laws.
On Sunday, while playing golf at a course in Florida, Trump narrowly escaped an assassination attempt. Acting Secret Service Director Ronald Rowe Jr. stated in a press conference on the 16th that the suspect, Ryan Wesley Ross, had been lying in wait at the scene for nearly 12 hours, about 274 to 457 meters from Trump’s group, but was unable to clearly see Trump. Fortunately, Secret Service personnel noticed a rifle barrel protruding from the bushes at the edge of the golf course, prompting them to fire at Ross. Ross then dropped the rifle and fled in panic.
After the incident, Ross drove a black Nissan car to escape from the scene. A witness captured his license plate, helping the police track his whereabouts. Ross was arrested on Interstate 95 about 40 minutes later.
On the day of the incident, Trump made a statement about the details of the event, mentioning that he only heard four or five shots before being escorted away from the scene. Trump commended the excellent performance of the Secret Service.