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Thomas Crooks carried out ‘extensive attack planning’ on Biden and Trump events

The gunman behind the attempted assassination of Donald Trump searched online for events relating to the Republican candidate and President Joe Biden in a “sustained, detailed effort to plan an attack”, according to the FBI.

Investigators have conducted nearly 1,000 interviews, but do not have a motive for why 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks shot at Trump during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania on 13 July.

An FBI analysis has found that he carried out “extensive attack planning”, searching online for events of both Trump and Biden, particularly in Pennsylvania, and repeatedly looked up information about explosives.

The analysis of his online search history revealed a “sustained, detailed effort to plan an attack on some event, meaning he looked at any number of events or targets”, Kevin Rojek, the special agent in charge of the FBI’s Pittsburgh field office, said on Wednesday.

Once a Trump rally was announced for 13 July in Butler, Crooks “became hyper-focussed on that specific event and looked at it as a target of opportunity”, Mr Rojek said.

Harvard’s Pippa Norris does not believe the assassination attempt on Donald Trump will have an impact on the presidential election (Photo: Evan Vucci/AP)
Donald Trump after his attempted assassination in Butler, Pennsylvania (Photo: Evan Vucci/AP)

Crooks’ internet searches in the days leading up to the rally included queries about the grounds where the rally was held, such as “Where will Trump speak from at Butler Farm Show?”, “Butler Farm Show podium” and “Butler Farm Show photos”.

The new details add to an emerging portrait of Crooks as someone who investigators say had taken an eerie interest in explosives, major events and prominent political figures, but whose internet searches across major parties have frustrated efforts to assign a simple motive.

“We have a clear idea of mindset, but we are not ready to make any conclusive statements regarding motive at this time,” Mr Rojek said.

Crooks, 20, of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, shot in the direction of the Republican candidate from the roof of a building about 400ft (122 metres) away from the stage where Trump addressed a crowd at around 6.02pm (11.02pm UK time).

The FBI has confirmed that a bullet struck Trump’s ear in the attack.

Secret Service agents surrounded Trump immediately after the first shots and escorted him off the stage within two minutes.

By this point Crooks had been shot dead by a Secret Service sniper and eight bullet casings were later found near his body.

Crooks left one bystander dead and two attendees seriously injured.

Corey Comperatore, a 50-year-old volunteer fire chief, died while trying to protect his family during the attempted assassination.

“Corey died a hero,” Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro said at a news conference following the shooting, adding that Comperatore went to church every Sunday and “loved his community”.

“Most especially, Corey loved his family,” said Mr Shapiro.

​David Dutch, 57, of New Kensington, Pennsylvania, and James Copenhaver, 74, of Moon Township, were both taken to Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh with serious injuries after the shooting, but were later released.

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