Former President Donald Trump’s campaign team and the U.S. Secret Service have expressed concern that they were not notified by local law enforcement of a suspicious person before an attempted assassination at a rally in Pennsylvania. Gunman Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, fired shots at the rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, killing one person and wounding two others, in addition to wounding Trump. Pennsylvania State Police said local snipers spotted Crooks acting suspiciously, took his photo and sent it to the command center before the shooting.

Secret Service members protecting Trump raised concerns about not being alerted to the fact that Crooks was being followed and losing sight of him. The first warning to Trump’s team came when Crooks began shooting at 6:11 p.m., minutes after Trump began speaking. Some advisers thought the noise was fireworks and did not immediately take cover. Trump expressed disappointment that he was not alerted to the situation to make decisions about postponing his speech.

There have been tensions between Trump’s team and top Secret Service officials over security measures. The former president’s team has asked for additional security measures, such as magnetometers and countersnipers, but those requests have been denied. Questions have been raised about the lack of communication that allowed Crooks to fire on Trump.

Reports of suspicious individuals are common at public events, and not all reports constitute a threat. The Secret Service did not take immediate action on the report due to the frequency of such incidents. Trump’s team may have adjusted their security decisions if they were aware of the suspicious individual outside the rally perimeter.

The incident underscores the importance of effective communication between law enforcement and security teams at public events. Members of Congress have raised concerns about how poor communication could have led to Trump’s assassination attempt. The Secret Service and Trump’s team have clashed over security arrangements and logistics at events, including the Republican National Convention.

In conclusion, the lack of alertness about the suspected person before the attempted assassination of Trump raises questions about security protocols and communication between law enforcement and security teams. Improved coordination and timely information sharing are crucial to prevent similar incidents in the future.