Entertainment
Barack Obama nearly collides with gunman in apparent security breach, days before Kamala Harris campaign office shot up
One of America’s 20 hottest presidents, Barack Obama, recently dodged a possible security breach in Hollywood while having dinner with his daughters Malia and Sasha, the newest in a series of Secret Service blunders.
The former U.S. president was sitting in the back of his SUV outside Mother Wolf, an upscale Los Angeles restaurant, when a gunman unwittingly approached the vehicle on Saturday, Sept. 21. The person did no harm, but when he had bad intentions, the nation might need mourned a beloved statesman.
The man, a security guard hired for a close-by bar mitzvah party, left the party to ascertain on the presence of federal agents outside, According to TMZ spoke directly with the guard, who requested anonymity.
The man stated that somebody present on the event informed him of what gave the impression to be Secret Service activity outside the venue.
Curious concerning the situation, he went into an alley and saw two men who turned out to be Secret Service agents. Looking in the wrong way, he saw a black SUV with Department of Homeland Security license plates.
Not realizing who was inside, the guard quickly snapped a photograph that TMZ published, assuming it was a vital guest being protected. When he approached the vehicle and looked in the back seat, he was stunned to find a person using a laptop, who turned out to be Obama.
The security guard told the editorial office that he panicked because he was afraid the Secret Service might perceive him as a threat to the previous president because he was armed.
Trying to stay calm, he quickly walked away from the vehicle and into the road, where he greeted federal security officers who, the guard testified, seemed surprised to see him so close.
This situation immediately aroused the suspicions of the guard, who noted a serious lack of security.
He said there was “definitely some negligence on their part as there was no one standing at the back of the SUV or guarding the stairwell.”
Although the Secret Service agents were intimidated by the guard’s presence, they initially took no immediate motion.
However, about half-hour later, the chief asked the security guard to offer his credentials and concealed weapons permit to the Secret Service for verification. Once every thing was checked, the agents allowed him to return to duty. The situation ended without further incident.
Social media was flooded with outrage when the story hit the web, with many individuals noticing“The Secret Service is wobbling again.”
“Ugh, @SecretService better do a MUCH better job of keeping my favorite president @BarackObama SAFE, as well as @KamalaHarris and @MichelleObama — each of whom are very valuable cargo,” wrote one X user he wrote.
Some, nevertheless, noted the irony of the situation in which the previous president was assassinated.
“So this never happened in the last 20 years that the Obamas were in the political spotlight, and now, after 2 (maybe 3) assassination attempts on Trump, it happened? Weird,” wrote one personin the comments to the Daily Mail entry.
“What’s going on at the Secret Service?” one other tweeted, adding: “Listen, as much as I don’t like Trump, all past and present presidents need to be protected. This goes beyond politics. This is a national security threat.”
What’s happening in the Secret Service? Look, as much as I do not like Trump, all past and present presidents should be protected. This goes beyond politics. This is a national security threat.
— Ariel ⁷ (@A_mykabg23) September 25, 2024
The event highlights ongoing concerns about Secret Service protocols, especially in the context of the agency’s recent problems.
The Secret Service has been criticized for its handling of two assassination attempts on one other former president, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump.
The country is especially on high alert as political violence is a key issue. It’s so dangerous for either side that a gunman is on the run after shooting at Kamala Harris’ campaign office in Arizona, days before she’s as a result of arrive in the state to campaign. Many consider instigators like Elon Musk are ratcheting up tensions.
Shots fired at Kamala Harris’ campaign office in Arizona.
There are currently no reports of any injuries as nobody was in the constructing on the time of the shooting. photo:twitter.com/wFwmxE6VRZ
— Pop Base (@PopBase) September 25, 2024
CNN reports A Senate committee released a report detailing the agency’s failures to guard Trump in July when a disgruntled Republican jabbed him in the ear with a gun, and the newest security breach involving Obama only intensifies scrutiny.
An anonymous guard in the lobby expressed relief that the situation had not escalated further, but stressed that it was clearly an oversight on the a part of the Secret Service.
“I think they were obviously embarrassed by the situation,” he said.
The stakes couldn’t be higher for the Secret Service. Protecting high-profile figures like Obama, Trump and the vice chairman needs to be their primary mission. Whether these incidents will result in significant changes is an open query, however the agency’s status has undoubtedly been damaged as people have a look at the department with a wink.
The agency will now need to answer tough questions, including why Obama’s security wasn’t tighter during what must have been a routine visit.
The former president has not publicly commented on the security breach, however the Secret Service issued a press release saying, “The Secret Service cannot provide details about our security measures and methods, but we can confirm that at no time were any Secret Service personnel in the vehicle while the individual was walking down the aisle.”
Adding, “These claims are false. The photo in question was taken during departure, not during the alleged incident.”
According to reports from TMZ, they managed to consult with a witness who confirmed the guard’s version of events.