Trump shooting: Arizona sheriff details what goes into prepping for events with U.S. Presidents
PHOENIX - Security measures are under the microscope after Saturday's assassination attempt on former U.S. President Donald Trump.
How did a gunman get that close, and will it change things moving forward?
One man who knows about protecting the former president is Yavapai County Sheriff David Rhodes.
He brings a perspective to the security conversation as someone who has worked on events with the Secret Service in the past, including events with Trump himself.
Rhodes said that, like many others, he was saddened to hear the news of the assassination attempt on former President Trump.
Trump rally shooting: What we know about the victims
One person who was present at former President Donald Trump's rally on Saturday was killed, and two spectators were critically wounded, according to authorities.
From his own experience working security at political events, he said there is pre-scouting done days in advance. While the Secret Service is focused on the president or former president and their families, federal and local law enforcement actively help with the overall tactical plan.
Rhodes said the protocol in place for these events is very thorough, but added that any best-laid plan can change in an instant when an attack is put in motion like the one in Pennsylvania.
He takes us inside the mind of law enforcement in those initial moments after an attack.
"You're functioning in the subconscious level at that point, and it's all repetition. It's all the things that you've been preparing for, it's all the days on the range, all the days going over tactical plans, all the training that you've been through, and you need to respond subconsciously at that moment because it's the fight or flight syndrome. The only way to bring that confidence that the first responders are going to be able to do what needs to be done is repetitive training and that's what we spend our time doing," Rhodes said.
What we know about Thomas Matthew Crooks, the alleged shooter at Trump's rally
Thomas Matthew Crooks was the shooter in the apparent assassination attempt of former President Donald Trump at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, the Federal Bureau of Investigation said early Sunday.
Political consultant Stan Barnes echoed feelings of dismay over what happened to Trump. He said the detail that goes into planning for these events leads him to wonder how this could've happened.
He said the country deserves to hear that answer sooner rather than later.
"When presidents come through and when presidential candidates who are former presidents come through, they weld manholes shut in the street and there are law enforcement lining the high building. How did a sniper, or apparently a sniper, how did a shooter get within an angle of Donald Trump at that rally? That question must be answered by the Secret Service," he said.
Both Barnes and Rhodes were quick to reference the in-depth investigation now playing out in the aftermath of the assassination attempt, saying any analysis of security will be evolving as more information is released by the FBI.