I served in the FBI for 25 years... this is who I suspect is to blame for the Trump assassination attempt security disaster

What nan hellhole happened - and really was it possible? These questions will beryllium astatine nan bosom of nan FBI investigation into probable aggregate failures by nan Secret Service and others successful nan lead-up to nan attempted assassination of Donald Trump.

The shooter, who appears to person utilized a high-powered semi-automatic firearm - perchance an AR-15 - was capable to group up his position connected nan tile of a building successful afloat position of immoderate of nan crowd connected nan 'bleachers', aliases gradual seating.

Individuals successful that crowd tried for respective minutes, by astatine slightest 1 estimate, to tie nan attraction of information officials to this man pinch a firearm but constabulary look to person not responded quickly enough.

What we don't yet cognize is whose occupation it was to guarantee this roof, only 150 yards from nan stage, was secure.

During 25 years pinch nan FBI, I person seen really countless akin rallies were organised and I see it highly apt that nan Secret Service was responsible for information wrong an enclosed perimeter, while nan section constabulary took complaint of nan wider area outside.

Responsibility for each post, each zone, each rooftop needs to beryllium intelligibly assigned and this section of roles should person been clear to everyone.

This is modular believe for nan Secret Service. It's carried retired astatine hundreds of events during nan run-up to an predetermination but it's besides perchance caller territory for each section constabulary department.

It mightiness person been years since they past saw a governmental rally successful their town. It's moreover imaginable that they've ne'er witnessed 1 location before.

News cameras besides showed soldiers successful camouflage present, astir apt members of nan National Guard. Their role, and whether their beingness hindered information successful immoderate way, will person to beryllium probed too.

We cognize that a Secret Service sniper must person had a clear position of nan rooftop because nan gunman Thomas Matthew Crooks was shot dormant wrong a fewer seconds of opening occurrence connected Trump.

But why did that sniper disregard Crooks till then? One plausible mentation is that nan Secret Service (which is wholly abstracted from nan FBI) assumed nan assassin was a constabulary sniper, portion of their information team.

That implies superior failures successful communication. When it comes to readying for events specified arsenic this, I would expect constabulary and Secret Service teams to not only meet and present themselves but representation retired their circumstantial roles successful detail. They ought to person been capable to recognise each different by sight.

They should besides person double-checked astatine each shape passim nan rally, ensuring they knew who everybody was and what they were doing. That's conscionable basic.

In nan coming days and weeks, nan agency will reconstruct each item of nan arena successful Butler, Pennsylvania, utilizing witnesser statements, CCTV and media video, arsenic good arsenic amateur footage changeable connected phones by members of nan public.

They will besides reappraisal audio recordings, including nan power communications betwixt nan various arms of rule enforcement. These should beryllium released to nan FBI instantly and I would expect them to beryllium made nationalist successful owed course.

Then we'll person a clearer thought of really Crooks was capable to entree nan roof, why his beingness appeared not to siren nan information unit and why nan concerns of group successful nan crowd were not met pinch an effective response.

The enquiry must besides attraction connected nan aftermath of nan shooting. Former president Trump was bundled to nan ground, down reinforced barriers – those hoardings, painted pinch slogans, are made of galvanised steel.

As his Secret Service squad began to lead him distant to his vehicle, they shielded him pinch their bodies. But it appears from news video that nan connection 'shooter is down' was sent and astatine that constituent Trump was capable to move to nan crowd, punch nan aerial and outcry his defiance.

It's wholly earthy that Trump wanted to show his supporters he was bloodied but live but this doesn't mean it was safe for him to do so.

In that moment, nan Secret Service had nary measurement of knowing if nan gunman was acting alone. Other shooters mightiness person been present.

Audio besides appears to drawback Trump asking for his shoes arsenic he is being bundled towards his car – and his bodyguards complying pinch this request.

That's against each protocol. The protection squad has 1 job: to protect their man. They are his quality shield. If necessary, they tin hog-tie him and transportation him but they should ne'er consequence his life by looking for his shoes.

The Republican nationalist normal successful Milwaukee, Wisconsin, tomorrow will spot unprecedented information levels. But until we understand what went incorrect astatine Butler, it will beryllium intolerable to opportunity pinch certainty that we won't spot different enactment of deadly unit earlier nan predetermination is over.

Frank Figliuzzi is simply a erstwhile adjunct head for counter-intelligence astatine nan FBI and nan writer of Long Haul: Hunting The Highway Serial Killers