Secret Service agents protected former President Donald Trump during his assassination attempt. (AFP)
Experts revealed to CNN-News18 some of the loopholes, such as the failure to disinfect the roof where the gunman opened fire and the failure to deploy bulletproof briefcase shields
The assassination attempt on former US President Donald Trump has raised some questions about intelligence and security failures, with experts telling CNN-News18 that even basic standard operating procedures appear to have been ignored.
On Sunday, Trump, wearing a white shirt, dark blazer and bright red MAGA hat, was railing against illegal immigration when a gunshot rang out, piercing the upper part of his right ear.
One of the security agencies' biggest gaps appears to be the failure to disinfect the roof where 20-year-old gunman Thomas Matthew Crooks opened fire. Film evidence and eyewitness accounts indicate that the building, which belonged to the American Glass Research Company and was where the killers fired the gun, was just across a service lane from the Butler Farm Showgrounds, the venue for the rally. About 150 yards away, it was within sight of the stage where Trump spoke at the rally.
How Crooks gained access to the building, and why it was not included in the security cordon, has been a source of concern, as pre-security contacts prior to a visit by a known protectee require that all buildings within the building be Disinfect buildings, driveways and alleys.
Security analyst and retired Major General AK Siwaich told News18: “The FBI has left many loopholes…assassins can shoot at will…How come the roofs and buildings were not cordoned off before the former president's visit during the upcoming elections?” Whose candidacy will be announced soon?
Officials with the investigative team told CNN that the shot came from “the three o'clock position of Trump's podium, and it came from his right side.”
Questions have also been raised about the Secret Service's response after the attack. Video evidence shows that even as Donald Trump ducked, bullets were still being fired. While the former president thanked the Secret Service for protecting him, security experts asked why the bulletproof briefcase shields were not deployed.
These shields are carried by agents around the world who protect heads of state or equivalent dignitaries. An official from SPG told News18 on condition of anonymity that the deployment of these shields was an immediate step in case those being protected were attacked. Video from Pennsylvania showed Secret Service agents surrounding Trump with their bodies, even as his head was visible above them.
In addition, security experts also pointed out that there are no bulletproof facilities near the podium.
Witnesses said Crooks was spotted near the rally venue minutes before the shootout. Some attendees told BBC News they notified the Secret Service after spotting Crooks “jumping from rooftop to rooftop” with a rifle.
“He was walking around with an AR-15. It wasn't a regular weapon, it was a semi-automatic rifle that had long been used only for military use. It should be hard to come by. How could law enforcement allow someone to carry such a weapon so close to a high-profile rally?” Where to move? Major General Swajic asked.
A preliminary investigation revealed that local law enforcement officers spotted Crooks and alerted the Secret Service. “They were monitoring him through radio broadcasts,” a source told CNN International.
The assassination attempt further heightened tensions ahead of the US presidential election. After the attack, the Secret Service said the gunman “fired multiple rounds toward the stage from an elevated position outside the rally” before being “subdued” by agents.
