FORSYTH COUNTY, N.C. — As we work to learn more about what went wrong at Donald Trump's rally Saturday, Bill Schatzman a former FBI agent and sheriff gave his insight.
Schatzman was straightforward and said this was a Secret Service disaster and it makes him sick thinking about it.
"God was Donald Trump's security on that day," Schatzman said. "It's a divine intervention of sorts. For some reason, they missed the shot that would've been an easy shot."
The question on everyone's minds is how 20-year-old Thomas Crooks was able to get on a roof near Donald Trump's rally in Pennsylvania without being spotted by the Secret Service and local law enforcement.
Bill Schatzman said someone dropped the ball.
Schatzman was a federal agent who worked with the Secret Service during several presidential visits to the Triad. He also assisted during his time as sheriff of Forsyth County in 2015.
"They are an excellent agency and premiere as far as site security and presidential protection," Schatzman said.
The unexplainable mishap cost a rally goer their life and left two others in critical condition.
Schatzman said he believes a lack of communication led to the tragedy.
"Secret service agents have state and federal radios so all the police officer had to say is I have a man on the roof with a rifle," Shatzman said. "That's the failure."
Schatzman said law enforcement is supposed to search for threats in the surrounding area including the building the shooter was on just 400 feet away from the rally.
"The rings of security have to go out a longer distance and require more people. To not be out beyond 200 yards was a terrible mistake," Schatzman said.
Although a grave mistake it appears improvements are already being made.
High Point University students at the Republican National Convention said the place is swarming with law enforcement.
"There are police officers everywhere you turn a corner," one High Point University student said. "Once you get in the convention there are areas blocked off with bike paths and once you go a certain way you can't turn around."
Eleven HPU students are working at runners during the four-day RNC convention.