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 âsustained, detailed effort to plan an attackâ, 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 âextensive attack planningâ, 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 âsustained, detailed effort to plan an attack on some event, meaning he looked at any number of events or targetsâ, Kevin Rojek, the special agent in charge of the FBIâs Pittsburgh field office, said on Wednesday.
Once a Trump rally was announced for 13 July in Butler, Crooks âbecame hyper-focussed on that specific event and looked at it as a target of opportunityâ, Mr Rojek said.
Crooksâ internet searches in the days leading up to the rally included queries about the grounds where the rally was held, such as âWhere will Trump speak from at Butler Farm Show?â, âButler Farm Show podiumâ and âButler Farm Show photosâ.
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.
âWe have a clear idea of mindset, but we are not ready to make any conclusive statements regarding motive at this time,â 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 Trumpâs 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.
âCorey died a hero,â Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro said at a news conference following the shooting, adding that Comperatore went to church every Sunday and âloved his communityâ.
âMost especially, Corey loved his family,â said Mr Shapiro.
âDavid 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.