A string of security failures led to a gunman's being able to fire multiple shots at former President Trump, killing a retired fire chief and wounding two others at a campaign rally in Butler, Pa..
Although armed security personnel responded swiftly, rushing a bloodied Trump off the stage after Saturday’s shooting, questions about security flaws are mounting, reports the Los Angeles Times.
Among the issues:
How the gunman gained access to the roof of a nearby building and why authorities were not able to stop him before he opened fire: The building was meant to be covered by local law enforcement because it was not in the immediate vicinity of the venue. The details of how the U.S. Secret Service and local authorities divided tasks for the rally remain unclear.
Videos show that some in the crowd noticed the gunman and tried to get the attention of law enforcement at least a minute before he fired at Trump. Local police say an officer got onto the roof just before the shooting but had to retreat because the gunman moved to shoot at him.
Whether Secret Service sharpshooters could have fired on the gunman before he launched his attack: Videos show Trump standing at a lectern with two Secret Service snipers positioned on a rooftop in the background. In the seconds leading up to Trump’s being struck by gunfire, the snipers can be seen looking through a scope and adjusting their rifles before firing.
Steve Gordon, a retired Los Angeles Police Department SWAT team sniper who reviewed social media video of the shooting, noticed a slight delay before Secret Service snipers fired on shooter Thomas Matthew Crooks. Gordon said the delay was caused by the agent trying to find his target.
Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle said the shooting “was unacceptable” and “something that shouldn’t happen again.” She added, "It was obviously a situation that as a Secret Service agent, no one ever wants to occur in their career. The buck stops with me.”
Referring to the American Glass Research building where Crooks was positioned, Cheatle said, "There was local police in that building. There was local police in the area that were responsible for the outer perimeter of the building,."
Stan Kephart, a former police chief who worked event security for two former presidents, said the shooting followed an “an absolute and abysmal failure” on the part of the Secret Service to protect Trump, reports the Associated Press.. The agency is ultimately responsible for the candidate’s safety, he added.
“You don’t get to blame other people. They are under your control,” said Kephart, now a consulting expert on law enforcement event security.
Charles Marino, who served as a supervisory agent on Joe Biden’s Secret Service detail during his vice presidency, said the Secret Service couldn’t do its job without the support of local law enforcement.
“The Service has to take the hit on this,” he tells the Wall Street Journal. “I think it’s a huge mistake to cast blame on locals and could have a significantly negative effect on support for the agency in other jurisdictions going forward.”
The Pennsylvania State Police said that the Secret Service requested 30 to 40 of their officers to assist in securing the rally’s inner perimeter Saturday.
The agency said securing the property and building where Crooks was perched on the roof was not part of the officers’ duties. It remains unclear which agency was responsible for securing that building.
Law enforcement became aware of Crooks after people alerted security that a man was acting strangely outside the rally venue. Attendees saw Crooks pacing near magnetometers at the event entrance, said the Associated Press.