Donald Trump rally shooter Thomas Crooks also ‘considered DNC & RNC as targets’ before trying to assassinate ex-prez
THE gunman who attempted to assassinate Donald Trump during a campaign rally considered targeting the Democratic and Republican National Conventions before zeroing in on the former president.
Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, conducted extensive research on the DNC, RNC, and events of President Joe Biden before "hyper-focusing" on Trump's July 13 rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, the disclosed on Wednesday.
Crooks searched for details about future campaign stops by and Biden, who at the time was still the presumptive Democratic presidential candidate.
Federal officials described Crooks' analysis as a "sustained, detailed effort to plan an attack," FBI special agent Kevin Rojek said.
The deranged gunman eventually settled on Trump's Butler rally and "hyper-focused" on it.
Rojek said the attempted assassination of Trump appears to have been a "target of opportunity."
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In the days leading up to the rally, Crooks conducted online searches about the rally, including where the podium would be positioned.
Rojek said Crooks searched for specific details like "Where will Trump speak from at Butler Farm," "Butler Farm Show podium," and "Butler Farm Show photos."
"We have a clear idea of mindset, but we are not ready to make any conclusive statements regarding motive at this time," Rojek added.
A motive has still not been determined.
In their update, the FBI released photos of the assault rifle Crooks used in the shooting, the backpack he likely used to transport the weapon, and two improvised explosive devices investigators uncovered in the trunk of his car.
The FBI reiterated that there is still no evidence that suggests a foreign enemy directed Crooks to commit the attack.
What were Thomas Matthew Crooks' final moments?
- On July 12, federal investigators learned Thomas Crooks visited the Clairton Sportsmen's Club.
- On July 13, the day of the Trump rally in Butler, Crooks went to a Home Depot and purchased a five-foot ladder that investigators believe he used to scale a rooftop about 430 feet outside the Secret Service's perimeter.
- That same day, investigators said Crooks purchased 50 rounds of ammunition at a gun store and drove his Hyundai Sonata an hour north to Butler.
- Crooks fired at least eight shots at Donald Trump and rally-goers at 6:11 pm, less than 10 minutes after the presidential candidate took the stage.
- A Secret Service counter-sniper positioned near the stage where Trump was delivering his remarks returned fire within seconds, killing Crooks.
What was his motive behind the shooting?
- The FBI is still working on determining a motive behind the shooting.
- The federal agency is viewing the act as domestic terrorism.
- Crooks is believed to have acted alone.
- Federal officials have been able to gain access to Crooks' cell phone, but it has yielded no clues about a motive, according to the .
- Crooks' cell phone and laptop have been sent to the FBI's lab in Quantico, Virginia, for further analysis.
FBI special agent Kevin Rojek said Crooks' family has been cooperating during the FBI's investigation.
Crooks, who investigators said had an interest in explosives and prominent political figures, managed to gain access to a roof undetected near the Trump rally in Butler.
The 20-year-old bear crawled into position and fired eight shots at the former president, striking him in the right ear.
The shooting killed rallygoer Corey Comperatore and injured two others.
"I would say that we see no definitive ideology associated with our subject, either left-leaning or right-leaning."
FBI Special agent Kevin Rojek
Trump, who has since ditched the large white bandage on his ear, suffered a 2-cm wide wound to the cartilaginous surface of the ear.
Multiple rallygoers came forward and said they saw Crooks on the rooftop moments before the shooting unfolded.
This comes as...
- Donald Trump was reindicted with four criminal counts in his election interference case in Washington DC.
- Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. stands down and endorsed Trump.
- Trump reveals grand reelection plans.
- Pop superstar Taylor Swift's Kamala Harris endorsement is just weeks away.
- Vice President Kamala Harris accepts the Democratic presidential nomination at the Democratic National Convention.
- Trump brands Harris "all talk, no action."
UNBREAKABLE
The FBI's latest update on the assassination attempt comes a week after Trump emerged at his first outdoor rally since the July 13 shooting.
The Republican presidential candidate, 78, spoke to supporters in North Carolina from a bulletproof encased podium.
The glass formed a protective shield across the stage to protect Trump from any dangers, including potential gunfire.
The former president's new amped-up security also included a fortress of portable storage units and moving trucks placed around the stage's perimeter to block all viewpoints.
Photos from the August 21 rally showed a security sniper positioned on a rooftop near the event.
In an interview with Dr. Phil, Trump placed some blame on President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee, for the assassination attempt on his life.
Trump said he believes Biden did not ";care about his health and safety," despite the president reaching out and speaking to him moments after the July 13 incident.
The Republican presidential candidate described his relationship with Biden as having "a lot of hatred."
When questioned by Dr. Phil on if he thought Biden and Harris cared if he was hurt, Trump responded, "I don't know."
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"He always made it very tough for us to have the proper number of Secret Service people," he said of President Biden.
"I have these massive rallies with 50-60,000 people or more... and our people were always fighting to get more security, more Secret Service, and [Biden] knew that we didn't have enough."
FBI update on Trump rally shooting
The gunman who tried to assassinate former President Donald Trump considered attacking multiple political events, the FBI said in an update. Here are the key new pieces of information released on August 28.
- Thomas Crooks, 20, researched events for Joe Biden, the Democratic nominee for president at the time
- He also looked into the Republican National Convention and the Democratic National Convention
- Crooks appears to have chosen Trump's rally as a "target of opportunity"
- A review of his online accounts showed a "mix of ideologies," with the FBI stating, "We see no definitive ideology associated with our subject, either left-leaning or right-leaning"
- After 1,000 FBI interviews, his motive is still unclear
- His family has been extremely cooperative