'What on Earth were they doing': Experts baffled by Secret Service actions after ear-graze
The Secret Service has come under fire this week after a rifle-wielding gunman was able to scale a building and shoot at former President Donald Trump, wounding his ear.
And now, experts say it wasn't just the response leading up to the shooting that raised questions — it was their puzzling actions in the immediate aftermath.
Former Secret Service agents and field experts told NBC News they were stunned by the Secret Service's response to what unfolded Saturday at the Butler, Pennslyvania, rally.
"They stayed on that stage for over a minute,” Richard Aitch, a close protection expert and former member of the Royal Military Police, told the outlet. “What on Earth were they doing? It was shocking.”
Read also: Opinion: Conspiracy theories on the Trump assassination attempt are spreading like wildfire
He blasted the agents for trying to cover Trump on stage with their bodies, noting rifle bullets would tear right through them.
“The moment you know you are getting incoming rounds, you grab hold on to that boss and you throw him into a car and you get out of there as quickly as you can with the maximum amount of aggression,” he said.
Meanwhile, field expert Chris Story told the outlet he's seen middle-schoolers "do better rugby scrums than the protective formation they used.”
"They did a really good job in covering, but after that, there was no movement,” he said.
An official briefed on the Secret Service response told the news outlet agents were informed the shooter, later identified as Thomas Crooks, was neutralized. The agents can be heard in video of the event saying “shooter down.”
While FBI Director Wray said they couldn't find a foreign connection, they have "no established motive as of now."
The shooter used encrypted communications "and had little to no social media presence," Andrew Desiderio of Punchbowl News said Wednesday.
The report comes as new leaked video appeared to show former Trump addressing the assassination attempt, which he said changed his views and attitude on life.
He called the shooting a "close call" in the minute-long video, posted on YouTube by PBS NewsHour Wednesday.
The clip appears to be the first public speech Trump has given that addresses the assassination attempt at a campaign rally Saturday in Butler, Pennsylvania. Two people died in the shooting, including the shooter, and Trump was left with a bloodied ear.
"That's what they call a close call," he said. "That was an amazing, horrible thing. Amazing thing. And in many ways, it changes your, your attitude, your viewpoint on life. And honestly it makes you appreciate God even more."