LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The world watched in shock as the first presidential assassination attempt since Ronald Reagan was shot in 1981 unfolded.
Former President Donald Trump was the target of an apparent assassination attempt Saturday at a Pennsylvania rally and said afterward that he was shot in the ear.
Secret Service covered his the former president in seconds, but how did gunfire ring out in the first place?
"Secret Service is going to go over this with a fine tooth comb and a magnifying glass and figure out what happened and how did it happen," said retired Secret Service agent with over 21 years of service, Greg Gitschier of Louisville. "Who did something wrong or maybe something was overlooked? I'm not saying Secret Service did anything wrong, I have no idea. But somehow, that gun got in there and shot.
A former president with an ear covered in blood after shots rang out at a Pennsylvania rally was quickly ushered into a Secret Service car while shouts and cries rang out at the Pennsylvania rally.
"If it was a bullet that was close enough to pierce clip his ear, that would have meant that he probably had his head turned. And if his head turned a different way, it could have been a different outcome," Gitschier said. "They got them on the ground. They surrounded them with their bodies, right for anything else member that could be an ambush at a second location. And they got him in the vehicle, even though he's fist pumping, I'm sure his adrenaline was pumping. You know, he almost got killed, so his adrenaline's got to be going crazy, but they're trying to get him into that armored limousine as quick as they can."
Gitscher said the agents do bomb sweeps, bomb sniffing dogs, detectors, and counter snipers. But, when it comes to moments like these, he said it matters if someone reacts within a second or half a second.
The shooter was confirmed to have fired shots from a nearby rooftop, something Gitschier said could have been a blind spot for the agents.
"I think we know it could have been something as simple as they were on the other side of that roof over there, and where the guys were looking, they couldn't see him, because he was just over the ridge, you know, and then he just came around for a second and fired. I'm not making excuses, but they normally wouldn't miss a person with a gun on a roof across from them," he said.
Gitschier said he was proud of the Secret Service agents today.
The Secret Service said today, in part, "US Secret Service quickly responded with protective measures and the former president is safe and being evaluated. One spectator was killed, two spectators were critically injured. The incident is currently under investigation and the Secret Service has formally notified the Federal Bureau of investigation."
► Contact weekend anchor/reporter Alex Dederer at adederer@whas11.com or on Twitter.
►Make it easy to keep up-to-date with more stories like this. Download the WHAS11 News app now. For Apple or Android users.
Have a news tip? Email assign@whas11.com, or visit our Facebook page or Twitter feed.
RELATED VIDEO