Former FBI agent Bobby Chacon said Monday that the “lack of urgency” surrounding the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump was shocking.
Less than an hour before a gunman shot and killed Trump and two other protesters at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, a counter sniper from the local police force texted other local police about the gunman, according to the New York Times. report On Sunday. Chacon of “The Faulkner Focus” said the email shows counter-sniper forces were not taking the potential threat seriously. (Related article: President Trump vows to continue outdoor rallies despite Secret Service advising against it)
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Ex-FBI agent says ‘lack of urgency’ in Trump assassination attempt is ‘stunning’ pic.twitter.com/IsOapSJAx8
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“Kids studying area around the building we’re in,” the 5:38 pm email said, along with a photo of Thomas Matthew Crooks, the gunman who would later shoot and kill Trump. “I think it was AGR. Saw him looking with a rangefinder towards the stage. FYI. If you want to let SS snipers know to be on the lookout. I lost sight of him.”
“Those of us who have worked on these special events… were astonished. When you read the text messages, it’s incredible the lack of urgency. Something as trivial as ‘If you want to notify a Secret Service sniper’? There’s a person with a rangefinder and a presidential candidate is about to take the podium. There should have been a greater sense of urgency and plans in place to deal with these contingencies. I’ve put together plans for events like the Olympics and the Oscars, where everything is spelled out exactly what to do if an unforeseen event occurs. If there’s a person with a rangefinder within the perimeter, immediate action must be taken to deal with that potential threat. The lack of urgency from all involved is just incredible.”
Additionally, the lead sniper for the SWAT team that worked with the Secret Service during the failed assassination said Sunday that his unit had “no contact” with the Secret Service before the shooting.
“Every time a Secret Service sniper arrived we were supposed to meet with them face to face and that never happened,” the lead SWAT sniper said. “So when that never happened and we never got in touch with the Secret Service I think that’s when I started to suspect something was wrong.”
Chacon said the lack of an in-person briefing before the rally was “inexcusable” and “unprecedented.”
“I’ve been to these events, and there’s briefings, planning, briefings, and constant meetings throughout the day, and there’s a command center where all the communication goes in, and there’s coordination and almost immediate action,” he said. “The fact that this was done so casually is quite astonishing to those of us who have worked special events.”
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