ATLANTA — In response to the attempted assassination of Former President Donald Trump, retired U.S. Secret Service leaders from Metro Atlanta reviewed video footage to explain what viewers saw and what happens next.
“The level of planning that goes into every security plan, I think, would surprise your average viewer,” said Dave Wilkinson.
Wilkinson is the former head of U.S. Secret Service in Georgia. He began protecting presidents in the Reagan Administration. He was also part of the team that covered George W. Bush after the September 11, 2001, terror attacks.
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He said security during campaign seasons becomes more difficult due to large, outdoor rallies.
“In this current political environment, obviously, the threat level against those running for president is certainly higher than we’ve seen in many, many years,” said Wilkinson.
Retired Special Agent in Charge Ray Moore led the U.S. Secret Service field office in Atlanta.
He has protected presidents dating back to Nixon.
He said once the agents on stage heard the gunfire, notice how they covered the former president and pushed him below armored portions of the stage.
“They were putting him in what we call a bunker, a body bunker, a human shield. They were trying to cover him so the bad guy could not get off any more shots, and if he did it would not hit former President Trump,” said Moore.
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He said when viewers heard a countdown coming from that body bunker that was the cue to move.
“When they went, ‘One, two, three!’ that means everybody move. Everybody moves in the direction of a hard room or a hard vehicle,” said Moore.
“Every bit of that was practiced. Every bit of that was trained by the agents. Every step to that motorcade to the positioning of that vehicle,” said Wilkinson.
Moore said he spoke with colleagues still in the secret service after Saturday’s shooting. They said the shooter never went through security machines.
“The shooter was outside the protected perimeter. The shooter was outside the fence line, and the shooter had made their way up on a low roof,” said Moore.
He said from the body detail to undercover agents in the crowd and snipers, everyone responded with valor.
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“The only thing that could have been done better is push the perimeter out where they have more assets further out in to the field and on those low rooftops, and that may come about,” said Moore.
Wilkinson, also proud, said the secret service will be reviewing every frame for any improvement.
“You’re going to hear a lot about Congress and others sort of investigating this, but I assure the secret service will turn over every stone,” said Wilkinson.
The pair said current presidents stand behind bullet-proof glass in outdoor settings, but that is not protocol for former presidents. They suspect that could change moving forward.
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