US Secret Service says it will participate fully in Trump shooting probes

The US Secret Service said on July 15 that it would participate fully in probes announced by President Joe Biden and members of Congress, even as it defended its response to an attempt to assassinate former president Donald Trump.

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"The Secret Service is tasked with the tremendous responsibility of protecting the current and former leaders of our democracy," Secret Service director Kimberly Cheatle said in her first major statement since the shooting.

"It is a responsibility that I take incredibly seriously, and I am committed to fulfilling that mission," she said.

Questions have swirled about the agency's preparations in the aftermath of the July 13 shooting, which wounded Trump, killed an attendee and left two people critically injured.

The shooter, identified by the authorities as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, was killed by Secret Service agents at the scene.

The Secret Service went on the defensive on July 15 against criticism of its failure to detect the gunman.

"Secret Service personnel on the ground moved quickly during the incident, with our counter sniper team neutralising the shooter and our agents implementing protective measures to ensure the safety of former president Donald Trump," said Ms Cheatle.

Eyewitnesses in media interviews described a chaotic scene as shots rang out. Claims by some at the rally that they tried to warn officers are also fuelling scrutiny.