A very senior security specialist characterized the failures of the security service in the assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump as a “security catastrophe.” This source has been in charge of security arrangements for visiting heads of state for his government, high-profile personalities, and has been involved in regularly organizing the security for the Davos conferences. He has often liaised with the Secret Service. He made the following points:
While he understands that the Secret Service claimed the police were responsible for perimeter security, that cannot be true. Wherever the Secret Service deploys, they take over and manage the entire security operation—there is no independent action by other services.
The fact that the roof where the shooter stationed himself was unguarded is absolutely unbelievable and unprecedented. The fact that, when there was an altercation between a police officer and the shooter on the roof, the counter-snipers did not respond, is also unbelievable. The Secret Service would have been informed—even before the policeman tried to mount the roof. Furthermore, it is standard procedure for counter-snipers to work in two-man teams, in which one handles the weapon, while the other observes with binoculars, to indicate the target and its location. Looking at the plan where the rally took place, there were buildings on both flanks of the rally field, that would have had clear shots to the President. So the place was the equivalent of a shooting gallery.
