Threat expert says communication key to security failure

PITTSBURGH, PA (AZFamily) — How long it took local police to communicate with the Secret Service could be central to what security procedures failed on Saturday outside of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, allowing a gunman to kill one man, and injure two more including former President Donald Trump.

“Where was the communication in between local law enforcement and the Secret Service agents or their command post? When the officers were told by the attendees that there was a suspicious person up on the roof, where did that communication go?” said Karl de la Guerra, who is the founder and CEO of KDI, an executive protection firm.

De la Guerra says the Secret Service was ultimately in charge of security at the rally, but that local police were in charge of perimeter security, where the shooter managed to get on top of a roof and open fire.

“You never have enough people from your own agency. So it’s common practice to reach out to local law enforcement,” said de la Guerra.

The FBI identified the shooter as Thomas Matthew Crooks, a 20-year-old with no obvious political motivation for trying to shoot Trump.

“It appears to me at this time that this individual has the same identity as so many other young, misled, active shooter suspects across America right now. Instead of going to a school or a theater or a mall, he chose to commit his act of terror with a political figure, a world figure that came to him right to his hometown,” said de la Guerra.

De la Guerra says this event will change the way security is handled at the thousands of rallies that will take place across the country between now and the election.

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