In the aftermath of Saturday’s attempted assassination of President Trump, new details are emerging about the security decisions that enabled the shooting.
Lori Levi, a frequent attendee at Trump rallies who sells merchandise, noticed significant security lapses in the setup and layout of the event by organizers.
“I had a terrible feeling. I knew something was wrong. I kept waiting for them to fix the basic security problems, since there was a direct ‘line-of-sight’ to President Trump,” Levi said.
The FBI and federal authorities have taken over local law enforcement’s role in responding to media inquiries. according to the Gateway Pundit The City of Butler police said in an email, “The FBI has assumed the role of the lead federal law enforcement agency in the investigation. The FBI is now issuing all press-related material.”
The FBI has a controversial history with Trump, having been accused of fabricating evidence in the Russian collusion case and lying to harm Trump. They’ve also been criticized for their handling of the January 6th protesters. This history raises concerns about their role in the current investigation.
Even the high school attended by the shooter, Thomas Matthew Crooks, is directing inquiries to the FBI.
Levi, who has attended nearly every Trump rally, noted, “I knew something was wrong the day before when I came to set up in Butler, Pennsylvania. They weren’t blocking the line of sight like they have in every other location. Typically, they would put cranes or heavy machinery in the way to block a clear line-of-sight to Trump as a security protocol. I kept thinking that his security detail was going to bring it in later, but they never did.”
“When we came in on Friday, after attending hundreds of Trump rallies, we noticed the situation did not look right. They can’t protect him from here. I just had this terrible feeling. I knew something was off,” Levi added.
At every other Trump rally, the Secret Service ensures there is no easy long-distance ‘line of sight’ to the President. This layered security barrier protects against snipers and would-be assassins, but this protocol was not in place in Butler, Pennsylvania.
“I assumed they would bring in dump trucks, semi trucks, cranes to block the line of sight, but they didn’t,” Levi said. “I do not believe that some 20-year-old kid could have pulled this off. The Secret Service does not make these kinds of mistakes. I don’t believe this story. I think they let him get the shot off first.”
Levi also noted that the security perimeter at the Butler Farm Show Airport was much closer than usual. Other attendees reported a variety of other security failures not covered by the mainstream media.
Eyewitnesses also stated that the FBI has been collecting photos and videos from the event, likely to classify and seal them indefinitely as part of an ‘ongoing law enforcement investigation.’
A source close to local law enforcement told the Gateway Pundit that Butler County Sheriff Michael Slupe was instructed to ‘stand down’ and not send extra manpower and SWAT teams to the rally site, despite his objections. This decision was allegedly made in advance of the President’s appearance in Butler, a small town of 13,000 about 30 miles northeast of Pittsburgh.