The attempt on Donald Trump’s life by an armed man was the result of a prolonged and meticulous scheme to strike at a large gathering, before the assailant decided to aim at the one-time Republican Presidential candidate during a political meeting in Pennsylvania last July, according to a statement from FBI representatives on Wednesday.
A gentleman going by the name of Thomas Crooks, who was just 20 years old, made over 60 online searches about Trump, who was then the Republican Presidential candidate, and his Democratic opposition, President Joe Biden, before opting to participate in the July Trump rally, stated FBI officials.
FBI’s Kevin Rojek, the chief officer for West Pennsylvania, stated, during a phone press briefing that Crooks was revealed to have executed a prolonged, meticulous plan to assault numerous events or targets. He noted that Crooks became singularly obsessed with the Trump rally upon its announcement in July and saw it as a potential target.
Rojek further clarified the FBI is yet to identify the inspiration behind Crooks’ attempted murder of Trump which took place at a meeting in Butler, Pennsylvania on July 13th.
In alaysis of his computer activity, it was found Crooks showed interest in a variety of ideologies but lacked clear signs of alignment with specific left or right-leaning ideologies, reported Rojek. Additionally, FBI authorities reported no evidence to suggest that Crooks coordinated with others or was incited by overseas authorities. His system was also found to be clear of illegal substances or alcohol.
Crooks’ audacious assault raised questions about how he managed to scale a nearby building and fire eight rounds at the former President before being fatally shot by a Secret Service marksman. The security arrangements at the event are currently under scrutiny by several congressional and governmental investigations.
Regarding Crooks himself, the FBI are under investigation. Officials shared they have achieved some insight on Crooks’ psychological profile, in spite being in the dark about his motive.
According to FBI authorities, as early as September 2023, Crooks had begun online searches related to Trump’s campaign events. He also started hunting for campaign events for both candidates close to his residence in West Pennsylvania from April onwards.
The source reports that the individual, identified as Crooks, had reportedly been probing for information regarding both Republican and Democratic presidential conventions. Prior to the Trump rally on July 13th, he had researched information about the location, including specifics about where Trump would be giving his speech and the particulars of the company that owned a nearby edifice.
At a later stage, Crooks fired eight shots from this building; one of which brushed past Trump’s ear. CCTV evidence demonstrates that Crooks was on the rooftop of the building for a relatively short time – around six minutes. Also, according to the evidence, Crooks left a number of explosives in his vehicle and had been inquiring about bomb components since 2019, as reported by Reuters.