The FBI says the gunman in the Trump assassination attempt saw the rally as a "target of opportunity"
“We have a clear understanding of the mindset, but we are not ready to make any conclusive statements regarding motive at this time,” Rojek said.
The gunman who attempted to assassinate former President Donald Trump was found to have extensively searched online for information related to both Trump and President Joe Biden.
He repeatedly looked up details about explosives and viewed the Pennsylvania campaign rally, where he fired his weapon last month, as a “target of opportunity,” a senior FBI official revealed Wednesday.
Investigators, who have conducted nearly 1,000 interviews, have yet to determine a clear motive for why 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks targeted Trump during the July 13 campaign rally.
They believe Crooks engaged in “extensive attack planning,” including researching events involving both the current and former presidents, particularly in western Pennsylvania.
Kevin Rojek, the special agent in charge of the FBI’s Pittsburgh field office, stated that the FBI’s analysis of Crooks’ online search history shows a “sustained, detailed effort to plan an attack on some event,” indicating he explored various events and potential targets.
Once the Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, was announced for July 13, Crooks became intensely focused on that specific event, viewing it as a target of opportunity.
His internet searches in the days leading up to the rally included queries such as “Where will Trump speak from at Butler Farm Show?” “Butler Farm Show podium,” and “Butler Farm Show photos.”
These new details contribute to a growing understanding of Crooks as someone who had a disturbing interest in explosives, significant events, and prominent political figures.
However, his searches across different political parties have complicated efforts to pinpoint a straightforward motive.
“We have a clear understanding of the mindset, but we are not ready to make any conclusive statements regarding motive at this time,” Rojek said.
The FBI has confirmed that Trump was struck in the ear by a bullet during the attack. Crooks, who was positioned on the roof of a nearby building, fired eight shots before being killed by a Secret Service counter-sniper.
