Washington [US], July 15: In a shocking assassination attempt yesterday, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump was shot in the right ear while campaigning. Many questions have been raised regarding the security loopholes in the US Secret Service's protection of Mr. Trump, who is both a former president and a candidate in this year's White House race.
Serious security vulnerability
The attack occurred at a rally of former President Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13 (local time). The assassination plot was carried out right before the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, which began on July 15. At this event, Mr. Trump is expected to officially become the Republican candidate for president .
Immediately after the news of the assassination broke, many wondered how a gunman on a rooftop could open fire repeatedly on a former president who was speaking at a rally attended by Secret Service, local police, and a large audience. CNBC News quoted a number of security experts as concluding that what happened at Butler was the result of a serious security failure, perhaps second only to President Ronald Reagan being shot and seriously injured outside a hotel in Washington, DC, in 1981.
BBC News quoted a witness as saying he spotted a gunman on the roof and alerted police who were guarding the rally. "And the police were like, 'What's going on?'. We said, 'There it is, right on the roof. We can see the gunman from where we are. He's crawling on the roof,'" the witness said. Minutes later, the gunman pulled the trigger.
Security experts agree that it is difficult to eliminate all threats, especially when the shooter has a long-range weapon and at an outdoor event. However, the risk can be minimized if security personnel check rooftops near the event. CNBC News quoted Jim Cavanaugh, a former special agent with the U.S. Department of Justice's Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives who worked with the Secret Service, as saying he was surprised that the gunman was able to occupy a high point that could put the rally in range.
Source: Thanh Nien Newspaper