Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - As the investigation into the attempted assassination of Donald Trump moves forward, a former Homeland Security agent says there should have been some things done differently to avoid the incident this past Saturday.
Former Homeland Security agent Steven MacMartin says usually for events like the one in Butler, Pa., the Secret Service usually assigns the further perimeters to local police agencies. He says at some point, agencies should have set up security at the building the shooter managed to enter.
"I can't say whether or not the person snuck by that security or the security wasn't set up at some point when that person went in, and maybe they were in the building before the security went up," said MacMartin in an interview with WBEN.
MacMartin says the public wouldn't have had access to a building that close to a Presidential candidate's event.
"I've heard reports that there was a ladder set up against the building, and that shouldn't have happened," MacMartin said. "How this person got that ladder to that area, and when the ladder was set up, and how they got access without anybody seeing, I don't know. Apparently members of the public saw this person access the ladder. Again, why there wasn't a law enforcement officer in that area to prevent that from happening, I don't know."
In this age, MacMartin adds drones could also help secure space.
"Surveillance could have been being done, and all that could have been monitored by a drone, even if there wasn't physical presence on the ground," MacMartin explained.
However, MacMartin notes buildings 200-to-300 yards from Trump could have been monitored by manpower.
"All that kind of research and assignment of personnel should have been done in the pre-event planning. In general, though, obviously, there was some sort of failure in the pre event planning to allow this to happen," MacMartin added.
MacMartin says the Secret Service will have a final report on the investigation.
