A former diplomatic security special agent on Monday said coordination between the Secret Service and local law enforcement is crucial at large-scale events, such as the weekend Trump rally where the former president was injured in an attempted assassination.

“Obviously, we can't expect the Secret Service to bring in the amount that people they would need to secure that venue. So, they would have to rely on the local law enforcement,” Ira Shinske, who served on Joe Biden’s private security detail in 2019, said.

Questions have arisen about communication lapses among law enforcement agencies following reports that attendees of the Saturday rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, alerted local authorities of a shooter climbing onto a rooftop, but no immediate action was taken. 

Shinske did not confirm those reports but said the presence of a central command center that unites all agencies at such events should have been alerted. 

“There is a command center where someone from each agency—Secret Service, state police, county police—is stationed,” he said. “Information is shared there and broadcasted to relevant channels, ensuring the Secret Service is informed.” 

Regarding the response by Trump’s security following the shooting, Shinske said they acted exactly as they should. 

“The Secret Service was on top of him, they had a great response,” he said. “They were on top of him, the lead agent, and most likely the number two, they're checking to see what kind of wounds that Donald Trump has. They see the blood coming down, but they're able to talk to him.” 

The FBI is investigating the shooting as both an attempted assassination and an act of domestic terrorism. They noted the gunman was not previously known to them and likely acted alone.