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U.S. NEWS Friday 19 July 2024
Rally shooter had photos of Trump, Biden and other U.S. officials on

his phone, AP sources say

By ALANNA DURKIN RICHER there, including some that
and ERIC TUCKER had potentially hazardous
Associated Press material.
WASHINGTON (AP) — The The shooting raised serious
20-year-old Pennsylvania questions about why law
man who tried to assassinate enforcement was unable to
Donald Trump had photos on stop the man from getting
his phone of the former Re- on a roof and opening fire.
publican president, President Multiple investigations into
Joe Biden and other officials, the security failures are un-
including Attorney General derway, including a Depart-
Merrick Garland and FBI Di- ment of Homeland Security
rector Chris Wray, according inspector general's probe
to two people familiar with into the Secret Service's han-
the matter. dling of security.
Investigators searching The Republican chairman
Thomas Matthew Crooks' of the House Oversight and
devices have also found An electronic billboard displays images of former President Donald Trump from his recent rally at Accountability Committee
that the shooter looked up the Butler Farm Show, Thursday, July 18, 2024, in Butler, Pa. issued a subpoena Wednes-
the dates for the Democratic Associated Press day to Secret Service Direc-
National Convention as well terrorism but have yet to find searched for information the special agent in charge tor Kimberly Cheatle for her
as Trump's appearances, ac- a clear ideological motive. about major depressive dis- of the Pittsburgh field office, to appear before the com-
cording to the people who The FBI gained access to order, according to three said: "We have no indication mittee on Monday. Repub-
spoke to The Associated Crooks' cellphone, scoured people familiar the investiga- of any mental health issues." lican have been calling for
Press on the condition on his computer, home and car, tion. But investigators have Crooks used an AR-style rifle, Cheatle to resign in the wake
anonymity to discuss details and interviewed more than not yet determined whether which authorities said was of the shooting, though she
of the ongoing probe. 100 people so far. he was actually diagnosed purchased legally by his fa- has said she has no intention
The FBI has been searching Crooks killed one rallygoer with the disorder, one of the ther. Investigators also found do so.
for clues into what drove and seriously wounded two people said. Studies have he brought multiple loaded Local law enforcement
Crooks to open fire at Sat- others. Trump suffered an ear shown that the vast major- magazines. He also bought had noticed Crooks pacing
urday's campaign rally in injury but was not seriously ity of people with mental ill- 50 rounds on the day of the around the edges of rally,
Butler, Pennsylvania, in an hurt, appearing just days nesses are not violent, and shooting. Authorities found a shouldering a big backpack
attempt to assassinate the later at the Republican Na- experts say most people who bulletproof vest in his car and and peering into the lens of a
GOP presidential nominee. tional Convention in Milwau- are violent do not have men- another rudimentary explo- rangefinder toward the roof-
The FBI has said they are in- kee with a bandage over the tal illnesses. sive device at his home. Over tops behind the stage where
vestigating the shooting as wound. On a conference call with re- the past few months he had the president later stood, of-
a potential act of domestic The shooter had also porters Sunday, Kevin Rojek, received several packages ficials have told the AP. q

Housing provider for unaccompanied migrant children engaged

in sexual abuse and harassment, DOJ says

By PAUL WEBER and VAL- U.S. Department of Health abuse or harassment at ing to the lawsuit. It added plaint “raises serious pat-
ERIE GONZALEZ and Human Services. It has the provider’s shelters since that testimony from the vic- tern or practice concerns”
Associated Press 29 child migrant shelters 17 2015. tims revealed staff in some about Southwest Key. “HHS
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Em- in Texas, 10 in Arizona and Among the suit’s allega- instances knew about the has a zero-tolerance pol-
ployees of the largest hous- two in California with room tions: An employee “re- ongoing abuse and failed icy for all forms of sexual
ing provider for unaccom- for 6,350 children. The com- peatedly sexually abused” to report it or concealed it. abuse, sexual harassment,
panied migrant children in pany’s largest shelter in three girls ages 5, 8 and 11 Health and Human Services inappropriate sexual be-
the U.S. have repeatedly Brownsville has a capacity at the Casa Franklin shelter Secretary Xavier Becerra havior, and discrimination,”
sexually abused and ha- of 1,200. in El Paso, Texas. The 8-year- said Thursday that the com- he said in a statement. q
rassed children in their care Health and Human Services old told investigators that
over the past eight years, reported 7,762 children at the worker “repeatedly
the Justice Department al- all of its contracted facili- entered their bedrooms in
leges. ties on May 31, according the middle of the night to
Southwest Key employees, to the most recent data on touch their ‘private area,’
including supervisors, have its website, which does not and he threatened to kill
raped, touched or solic- break the numbers down their families if they dis-
ited sex and nude images by shelter or provider. The closed the abuse.”
of children since at least department declined to The suit also alleges that an
2015, the DOJ alleged in a say how many children employee of the provider’s
lawsuit filed Wednesday. At were currently in Southwest shelter in Tucson, Arizona,
least two employees have Key’s Care or if the agency took an 11-year-old boy
been charged since 2020, continues to assign children to a hotel and paid him to
according to the lawsuit. to its care. perform sexual acts for sev-
Based in Austin, Southwest The lawsuit, which provided eral days in 2020.
Key is the largest provider details of some of the al- Children were threatened Buildings that house juveniles and operations on the grounds of
of housing for unaccompa- leged abuse, asserts that with violence against them- Southwest Key Campbell, a shelter for children that have been
nied migrant children, oper- authorities received more selves or family if they re- separated from their parents, is shown June 28, 2018, in Phoenix.
ating under grants from the than 100 reports of sexual ported the abuse, accord- Associated Press