ST. CLOUD, Fla. — A massive security breach that nearly took the life of former President Donald Trump is now under investigation.
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“The advance team is really going to get a thorough interview to find out why they didn’t cover that particular area,” said Rennie Rodriguez, retired U.S. Secret Service Special Agent.
Rodriguez has worked to protect then-Vice President George Bush and his wife, Barbara. He spoke about Saturday’s assassination attempt on Trump and the protocols that should have been in place.
“That particular location should have been locked down,” said Rodriguez.
Rodriguez said long before any political figure appears at an event, the Advance team designates and sets up logistics of the location area with local, county, and state law enforcement to secure the protected area.
“The advance team will see the area in the perimeter, outer perimeter, and the magnetometer and determine who can gain access to a building or who can gain access to the back of the event,” said Rodriguez.
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Rodriguez said the building 20-year-old gunman Thomas Matthew Crooks shot his rifle from should have never had any access to get onto the building. He said because of the proximity of the building, which was 200 yards from the stage, building owners nearby should have been contacted to lock and secure them.
He said it should have been local law enforcement officers on the roof scoping the entire event area.
“It’s an ongoing investigation. I think you have to get all of the facts first and find out exactly what went wrong and how we can do a better job in the future,” said Rodriguez.
Sunday, Rodriguez said the Secret Service did a great job reacting to the shots fired by the gunman and getting the former president to safety and care at the hospital.
He said the agency will now reevaluate the event.
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“It’s an ongoing investigation. I think you have to get all of the facts first and find out exactly what went wrong and how we can do a better job in the future,” said Rodriguez.
Rodriguez said as we head into the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, security needs to be reevaluated.
He said he expects more searches of cars and expanding the protected area in case there is another assassination attempt looking to mimic the Crook’s attempt on another political figure at the RNC or the DNC in August.
However, the Secret Service said it is not changing its plans.
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