What the hell happened—and how was it possible? These questions will be at the heart of the FBI’s investigation into likely multiple failures by the Secret Service and others in the lead-up to the attempted assassination of Donald Trump.
The shooter, who is believed to have used a high-powered semi-automatic rifle – possibly an AR-15 – was able to take up position on the roof of a building where some of the crowd in the ‘grandstands’ (stands) could see him.
According to one estimate, people in the crowd tried for several minutes to draw the attention of security officials to this man with a gun, but police apparently did not react quickly enough.
What we don’t know yet is who was responsible for the safety of this roof, which is only 137 meters from the stage.
In my 25 years with the FBI, I have seen countless similar meetings organized. I think it is highly likely that the Secret Service was responsible for security within a restricted area, while local law enforcement was responsible for the broader zone outside.
Donald Trump punched the air defiantly after being shot at campaign rally
Frank Figliuzzi, an FBI agent for 25 years, believes communication problems between the Secret Service and local law enforcement may have been to blame for the failure to prevent the shooting.
Responsibility for each post, each zone, each roof should be clearly assigned and this division of roles should have been clear to everyone.
This is standard practice for the Secret Service, and is performed at hundreds of events leading up to an election, but it is also potentially new territory for any local police department.
It may have been years since they last saw a political rally in their city. It is even possible that they have never seen one before.
News cameras also showed soldiers in camouflage, probably members of the National Guard. Their role, and whether their presence in any way hampered security, will also have to be investigated.
We know a Secret Service sniper must have had a clear view of the roof, because shooter Thomas Matthew Crooks was shot dead within seconds of opening fire on Trump.
But why did the sniper ignore Crooks until then? One plausible explanation is that the Secret Service (which is completely separate from the FBI) assumed that the killer was a police sniper, part of their security detail.
Immediately after the shots were fired, former President Trump was pushed to the ground behind reinforced barriers by US Secret Service agents
Snipers stand on the roof of a building behind the podium during Saturday’s campaign rally
That implies serious communication issues. When it comes to planning events like this, I would expect police and Secret Service teams to not only meet and introduce themselves, but also to detail their specific roles. They should have been able to recognize each other by sight.
They should have also double checked at every stage of the rally to make sure they knew who everyone was and what they were doing. That’s just the basics.
In the coming days and weeks, the agency will piece together every detail of the event in Butler, Pennsylvania, using witness statements, CCTV and media video, as well as amateur footage captured by citizens on their phones.
They will also be reviewing audio recordings, including radio communications between law enforcement agencies. These should be released to the FBI immediately and I expect them to be made public in due course.
Then we will have a clearer picture of how Crooks ended up on the roof, why his presence did not seem to alert security personnel, and why the concerns of people in the crowd were not effectively addressed.
The investigation must also look at the aftermath of the shooting. Former President Trump was pushed to the ground behind reinforced barriers — those billboards, painted with slogans, are made of galvanized steel.
As his Secret Service team began to lead him to his vehicle, they shielded him with their bodies. But news video shows the “shooter is down” message was broadcast, at which point Trump was able to turn to the crowd, punch the air and shout his defiance.
It makes perfect sense that Trump wanted to show his supporters that he was bloodied but still alive, but that doesn’t mean it was safe for him to do so.
At the time, the Secret Service had no idea whether the shooter was alone. There may have been other shooters present.
The audio also shows Trump asking for his shoes as he is being escorted to his car, and his bodyguards complying with the request.
That is against all protocol. The protection unit has one job: to protect their man. They are his human shield. If necessary, they can tie him up and carry him, but they must never risk his life by looking for his shoes.
Tomorrow’s Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, will feature unprecedented levels of security. But until we understand what went wrong in Butler, it will be impossible to say with certainty that we won’t see another act of deadly violence before the election is over.
Frank Figliuzzi is a former assistant director for counterintelligence at the FBI and the author of Long Haul: Hunting The Highway Serial Killers