Acting Secret Service director testifies on Capitol Hill about Trump shooting

The acting director of the Secret Service says his agency failed its mission. He testified on Capitol Hill weeks after the assassination attempt of former president Donald Trump.

WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) - The acting director of the Secret Service says his agency failed its mission. He testified on Capitol Hill weeks after the assassination attempt of former president Donald Trump.

Acting Director Ronald Rowe says he can't defend it and says he doesn’t know why the roof wasn’t secure. He told senators that Secret Service agents didn’t know local law enforcement spotted the gunman on the roof minutes before the shooting.

“What I saw made me ashamed,” said Rose.

The acting director says the gunman, Thomas Matthew Crooks, was on the roof less than 150 yards from where former president Trump was speaking.

“I could not, and I will not, and I cannot understand why there was not better coverage or at least somebody looking at that roofline, when that's where they were posted,” said Rowe.

Investigators say about 30 minutes before the shooting local law enforcement shared a photo of Crooks in a group chat.  Moments before the shooting one confronted Crooks on the roof but the acting director says his agents didn't know this was happening.

“It is troubling to me we did not get that information as quickly as we should have,” said Rowe.

Republicans accused the acting director of deflecting blame to local police.

“We're still not getting clear answers,” said Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas.).

Rowe says a Secret Service counter sniper shot and killed the shooter within seconds of him firing at the president.