2024-07-15 02:52:54
Officials say the roof of the building where the gunman fired from was right next to where Trump held a rally on Saturday. A CNN analysis showed the roof was about 400 to 500 feet (120 to 150 meters) from Trump.
The FBI has identified the gunman as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania. He was killed by Secret Service agents.
Steve Moore, a retired FBI supervisory special agent who spent two years as a sniper, said the roof should have been protected.
Another retired FBI agent, Bobby Chacon, also told CNN on Sunday that he was surprised no one had secured the roof, calling it a “perfect location.”
“That building… is the closest building clearly visible to where the scene was. I’m shocked that they didn’t send anyone to protect the roof,” said B. Chacon.
“The fact that someone allowed the roof to be unattended, unprotected” could have been an error in planning or execution of the plan, S. Moore emphasized.
“They may have had plans for the roof and maybe something happened in the planning or execution of the plan so it was left unprotected,” he said.
While Secret Service agents may have been alerted to the shooter’s location, they may have had only a “very obscured view,” Moore added.
“You can’t just say, ‘Oh, there’s someone on the roof,’ and shoot,” Moore said. – They will search, they will wait until they see the weapon. The problem is that at that point on the roof it could have been covered and hidden by a small wall.
Mr. Moore stressed that he expects “drastic changes” in security procedures as a result of the shooting, including expanding perimeters and tighter security at rally sites.
“There are a lot of ways to improve this situation,” Moore said. – This means that the secret service must be ensured every time, every rally of the candidate, every month, every year, they must be perfect. Bad guys only get one chance.”
Prepared by CNN.
2024-07-15 02:52:54