Man who tried to assassinate Trump flew drone over rally site hours before the shooting

Thomas Matthew Crooks, the man who tried to assassinate Trump and killed a supporter of the former president in Pennsylvania, flew a drone over the site of the shooting several hours before the shooting, according to a recent report in The Wall Street Journal.

The news outlet reported that Crooks, who was described by friends as intelligent but reclusive, went to survey the ground ahead of time by flying a drone. This fact highlights yet another notable lapse in the event's security that ended with the young man firing at least six shots from the roof of the American Glass Research building, located about 400 feet from where Trump was speaking.

With his shots, Crooks killed one bystander, seriously wounded two more people and left Trump with a scratch on his ear with a bullet that passed just inches from his head.

The Secret Service responded to Crooks with snipers and managed to take him down avoiding a greater tragedy, but the situation has unleashed a barrage of criticism against the agency as new details emerge about how a 20-year-old with no military experience managed to circumvent security mechanisms.

So far, the WSJ reported that investigations are still ongoing to determine how Crooks was able to get on a rooftop with a clear line of sight to Trump and open fire with an AR-15 rifle. Likewise, security lapses also revealed a serious communication breakdown between federal and local agents, with police noticing Crooks more than an hour before the shooting.

"The use of the drone was just one way in which authorities have said Crooks planned his attack," the WSJ reported. "Crooks (...) began researching the site shortly after the Trump campaign announced the rally on July 3, and registered for the event on July 7, officials said. He visited the farm show grounds a few days later to scope it out."

On July 13 Crooks returned with a pair of homemade bombs that authorities said were apparently designed to be activated by remote control because they had a receiver similar to one used to remotely set off fireworks.

"Investigators found the rudimentary explosives in Crooks’ car parked close to the grounds, along with a ballistic carrier, or vest, with three, 30-round magazines in it, an indication that he might have wanted to cause greater carnage," WSJ reported.

Republicans Call for Transparency and Accountability

The information published by the WSJ set off a fresh wave of criticism against the Secret Service and its director, Kimberly Cheatle, who is facing increasing calls for her resignation.

"So a would-be-assassin advanced Trump’s rally with a drone, yet the Secret Service didn’t use a single drone to protect the former president?! This isn’t just failure, it’s dangerous incompetence," wrote Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL). "We need full transparency and accountability for the American people NOW! If the buck stops with Cheatle, why hasn't she resigned?".

President Trump's son, Donald Trump Jr., also criticized the Secret Service, explaining that he once tried to fly a drone at Mar-a-Lago but the agency wouldn't let him because his father was at the mansion.

"Just to underscore how crazy this all is, I was once prevented flying MY OWN drone off of the beach at Mar-a-Lago by USSS because my father was inside the house… Now we have one literally scouting his speech!" the former president's son wrote indignantly.