Gunman was allegedly able to get aerial footage of rally by drone before shooting at Trump, WSJ reports

A Wall Street Journal report says that the gunman who allegedly fired at former President Donald Trump was able to fly a drone in order to surveil the area at the rally.

The report is the latest in a series of leaks that has exposed the Secret Service to incredible scrutiny over the lapse of security provided to the former president.

'This is just unbelievable! What a mess!'

The report said Thomas Matthew Crooks obtained the footage by flying a drone along a predetermined path just hours ahead of the rally on July 13, according to law enforcement officials who spoke to the Journal.

Officials also said they found explosives in Crooks' car, leading many to believe he intended to cause more carnage in addition to shooting the president.

Local law enforcement officials and the Secret Service have been playing the blame game and tossing out accusations at each other since the shocking incident.

Lawmakers and others have heavily criticized the head of the Secret Service over the constant stream of information documenting the many failures of the plan to protect Trump.

While Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle has claimed to have taken responsibility for the lapses, she has also said that she would not be stepping down from her position.

Republican Sen. Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee responded to the revelation by criticizing the Secret Service director.

"The thing that is so frustrating about this is we're getting these bits and pieces we're trying to verify and make certain that we know what is information, what is rumor, and that we hold the director to account," she said in a segment on Fox News. "This is just unbelievable! What a mess!"

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