Security and military experts have responded to the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump, pointing out the challenges the US Secret Service faces in protecting the former president.
“Wide-open spaces like golf courses are notoriously difficult to secure,” Josh Silverdo, a former SWAT commander and sniper team leader, told Fox News Digital.
“The avenues of entry are nearly limitless, and most golf courses have an abundance of woodlands, shrubs and other terrain features that make it even easier to conceal an approach. Given these challenges, the best chance of an assassination attempt is to take advantage of the concealment and distance of the terrain and attempt long-range rifle fire.”
The comments came after the FBI announced on Sunday that it was investigating a possible assassination attempt on Trump following a shooting near the former president at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida.
Donald Trump safe after shooting outside Palm Beach golf club
Republican presidential candidate and former President Donald Trump made the remarks during a press conference at Trump National Golf Club Los Angeles in Rancho Palos Verdes, California, on Friday, September 13. (AP/Jay C. Hong)
The suspect, Ryan Wesley Routh, 58, was arrested Sunday after fleeing the scene.
Palm Beach County Sheriff Rick Bradshaw told reporters on Sunday that the shooter was about 300 to 500 yards away from Trump and was armed with an AK-47-style rifle, but that U.S. Secret Service agents located him and “engaged” the suspect.
“Without knowing much about the rifle, there are some challenges with this type of shooting and this weapon system. The 'standard' AK-47 fires 7.62mm ammunition and is one of the most widely used weapons in the world. It is very reliable and has a 'technically' effective range of 700 yards, but it is not known for its accuracy,” Silverdo said.
“We still don't know much about the perpetrator and his experience,” he continued, “but we do know that even with a magazine containing 30 rounds, an attempt like this would only land one to three shots before the target was out of sight. Was this an amateur attempt? Probably. Long-range snipers don't leave their equipment behind like this perpetrator did.”
Chad Robichaux, a former Marine reconnaissance officer and Department of Defense (DoD) contractor, told Fox News Digital that the weapon used by the suspect could have been effective out to a range of about 1,000 yards.
“Assuming a rifle caliber between 5.56 and 7.62, a skilled shooter could effectively hit a target at 1,000 yards away,” Robichaux said. “So, if a shooter had sufficient skill, they certainly would have been within range to kill President Trump.”
Robichaux also noted that even an “entry-level Marine” should be able to “hit a man-sized target” at “500 yards without a scope.”
A sheriff's vehicle is parked near the Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Sunday, Sept. 15, 2024, after gunshots were reported near former President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump. (AP Photo/Stephanie Mattatto)
Joy Reid suggests Trump's comments after assassination attempt 'could not have avoided consequences'
Trump was reportedly moving between the fifth and sixth holes on the course when the attack occurred, meaning that unlike a previous assassination attempt in Pennsylvania, in which the former president remained stationary, the timing of when the shooting began was important, as the former president may have continued to move closer to the threat as he moved along the course.
Meanwhile, Mark “Oz” Geist, a national security and military consultant and co-author of the best-selling book “13 Hours,” told Fox News Digital that a scope might not have made much of a difference.
“The weapon reportedly seized from the final firing position at Trump International Golf Course, where former President Donald Trump plays golf, appears to be an aftermarket semi-automatic replica of a Kalashnikov,” Geist said. “Its maximum effective range is 380 yards with iron sights. Adding a scope does not necessarily increase the maximum effective range, but it does allow the shooter to be more accurate.”
“The photographs also showed a chain link fence with a backpack and another carry case attached to it, which appeared to contain ceramic plates allowing a gun to be fired through gaps. This placement suggests that the gunman placed these items in a defensive position, perhaps anticipating exposure and retaliation from the Secret Service.”
A sheriff's vehicle is parked near the Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Sunday, Sept. 15, 2024, after gunshots were reported near former President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump. (Peter Burke/Fox News Digital)
Click here to get the FOX News app
Trump was unharmed in the attack, but senior campaign advisers Chris LaCivita and Susie Weil wrote after the incident that an “evil monster” had attempted his life “for the second time in two months.”
“Thankfully, no one was injured on the golf course and President Trump and all of his companions are safe thanks to the great work of the U.S. Secret Service,” they wrote.
