After watching the replays of the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump, hearing the commentaries, and reading the few official statements, I am left at this early point with more questions than answers.
Even more concerning, I am wondering why few in the national “news” business and few officials are asking these questions:
How did the shooter get onto the top of that building?
How did he get the large gun and accessories onto the top of the building?
How did security not notice him and his gun heading up there?
How did security not notice him up there?
When private citizens saw the shooter up there and reported it to security, why did they not immediately check it out?
If private citizens could see the shooter atop the building, why did security not see him?
The Secret Service sniper who shot and killed the culprit did so fairly quickly. If he had the culprit in his line of sight already, and it appears he did, why didn’t he take him out first before he shot?
I am hoping that official investigations will answer these questions. Past official investigations have sometimes failed to answer basic questions. After the Warren Commission Report on the assassination of President John Kennedy, there were still unanswered questions, and here, 61 years later, there are still questions.
May the investigation of the Trump assassination attempt be expeditious – but not rushed – and address the obvious.
I am hoping that improvements can be made in security for presidential candidates that can prevent future assassination attempts.
There may have been some mistakes made in security at the Trump rally in Pennsylvania. Hindsight is 20/20. It is easy for me and others to “Monday morning quarterback” the security personnel.
When the security of Presidents and presidential candidates is at stake, we cannot afford mistakes.
While it may be impossible to 100% guarantee the safety of Presidents and candidates against a person intent on doing the deed, we can do the best we can.
Remember the old maxim, “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.”
That principle would not excuse any lapses in Secret Service security. You have to get it right this time and every time.
Jim ‘Zig’ Zeigler’s beat is the colorful and positive about Alabama. He writes about Alabama people, places, events, groups and prominent deaths. He is a former Alabama Public Service Commissioner and State Auditor. You can reach him for comments at ZeiglerElderCare@yahoo.com.
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