NIAGRA FALLS, N.Y. (NewsNation) — The federal investigation into a vehicle explosion at the Rainbow Bridge border crossing between the U.S. and Canada in Niagara Falls may be over, but the question remains as to how the car was able to reach such speeds so close to a border security checkpoint.
NewsNation national security contributor Tracy Walder raised concerns over border checkpoint security measures, saying that normally there are measures in place to slow vehicles down before approaching the U.S. Customs and Border Protection checkpoints.
While the FBI and local agencies ruled out the possibility of the accident being a terrorist attack, there are still concerns as to how the car was able to reach such speeds.
Walder questioned how there could be a breach in that security guard area, raising concerns over security issues.
“I’m glad that this was not an act of terrorism, I will be the first to admit that I do think my brain sort of went there a little bit. But I do think this sort of shows some security issues that we do have at our border crossings,” Walder said.
Surveillance video from U.S. Customs and Border Protection cameras caught the moment where a white sedan is seen barreling toward a median, hopping a fence and bursting into flames at a CBP booth.
The explosion killed the two passengers in the vehicle and caused minor injuries to a Border Patrol agent.
The car was driving at an “extraordinarily high rate of speed that then crashed into the median that sent the vehicle airborne,” New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said.
Walder explained that this incident is problematic because it can turn a car into a weapon. While the intent wasn’t there this time around, it could easily happen in the future. Walder said it’s something officials need to look at.
“The reality is we are in a heightened state right now … I think a lot of people’s brains went to this. We’re sort of sitting in the middle of a tinderbox,” Walder said.