The U.S. Secret Service and local law enforcement officials stated that there are no intentions to alter the security protocols for the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee this week.
Police reaffirmed their faith in the security system currently in place and declared that their security perimeter will not change despite Saturday’s attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump.
“We’re not anticipating any changes to our operational security plans for this event,” said the Secret Service’s RNC coordinator, Audrey Gibson-Cicchino. She declined to answer several questions about Saturday’s events in Pennsylvania, citing her RNC-specific jurisdiction.
“Gibson-Cicchino emphasized that the security planning in Milwaukee has been underway for 18 months and has already been designated the highest level of security event. Pressed about specific threats to this week’s gathering, Michael Hensle, the FBI’s special agent in charge in Milwaukee, said that there is ‘no known specific articulated threat to the RNC during or any specific individual attendee’ but that there are higher levels of online ‘chatter’ about the assassination attempt,” NBC News reported.
FBI Deputy Director Paul Abbate stated during a separate news briefing earlier on Sunday that since the incident, there have been more online threats of violence, which were already on the rise.
Police Chief Jeffrey Norman stated that the city is not allowed to ban guns anyplace in Milwaukee under those state restrictions due to the likelihood of guns in the soft security perimeter surrounding the Fiserv Forum arena, where the convention will take place – a result of Wisconsin’s open-carry legislation.
“We as a city cannot legislate out of that,” Norman said of the state’s open-carry allowances, adding that from a “law enforcement aspect, we have to operate within those guidelines.”
Before arriving in Milwaukee on Sunday evening, Trump said he originally planned to delay his trip to Wisconsin by two days but decided that he could not allow a “‘shooter’ or potential assassin to force change to scheduling.”
The FBI has officially determined that the shooting attack on Trump shortly after his rally in Butler, Pa., began Saturday afternoon as an “assassination attempt,” but the bureau does not yet have a motive.
The FBI stated that the attack was an “assassination attempt,” but the motive has not yet been determined. Pennsylvania State Police said at the press conference that one shooter has been “tentatively identified,” Axios reported.
Meanwhile, the chief of communications for the U.S. Secret Service, Anthony Guglielmi put out a statement Saturday evening.
“During former President Trump’s campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania on the evening of July 13th at approximately 6:15 p.m., a suspected shooter fired multiple shots toward the stage from an elevated position outside of the rally venue,” he said. “US Secret Service personnel neutralized the shooter, who is now deceased. 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.”
Trump’s senior advisers Susie Wiles and Chris LaCivita stated that Trump still plans to attend the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, which begins on Monday.
“As was communicated earlier this evening, President Trump is doing well and grateful to law enforcement and first responders for their fast action,” they said. “President Trump looks forward to joining you all in Milwaukee as we proceed with our convention to nominate him to serve as the 47th President of the United States.”
They added: “As our party’s nominee, President Trump will continue to share his vision to Make America Great Again.”
According to early reports on Sunday, the FBI had identified the deceased shooter, but details about the alleged assassin remain thin.
In comments following the attack, Trump confirmed he was “shot with a bullet” that “pierced” the upper part of his right ear, Fox News reported.
“I want to thank The United States Secret Service, and all of Law Enforcement, for their rapid response on the shooting that just took place in Butler, Pennsylvania,” Trump said on his Truth Social platform Saturday evening. “Most importantly, I want to extend my condolences to the family of the person at the Rally who was killed, and also to the family of another person that was badly injured. It is incredible that such an act can take place in our Country.”
He provided another update shortly afterward: “Thank you to everyone for your thoughts and prayers yesterday, as it was God alone who prevented the unthinkable from happening. We will FEAR NOT, but instead remain resilient in our Faith and Defiant in the face of Wickedness. Our love goes out to the other victims and their families. We pray for the recovery of those who were wounded, and hold in our hearts the memory of the citizen who was so horribly killed. In this moment, it is more important than ever that we stand United, and show our True Character as Americans, remaining Strong and Determined, and not allowing Evil to Win. I truly love our Country, and love you all, and look forward to speaking to our Great Nation this week from Wisconsin.”
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