Authorities have reported that Thomas Matthew Crooks, the suspect in the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump, engaged in target practice and purchased 50 rounds of ammunition two days prior to the incident.
The shooter of the July 13 attack on Trump has been identified as Thomas Matthew Crooks, a 20-year-old resident of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, with no prior criminal record.
In the days leading up to the failed assassination, Crooks visited several locations in and around his hometown near Pittsburgh. According to CNN, a local official stated that on the morning of July 12, Crooks went to the Clairton Sportsmen’s Club, a shooting range located 25 minutes from his home, where both he and his father were members, to practice shooting.
On the morning of July 13, Crooks stopped by a hardware store to purchase a 5-meter ladder. He then bought 50 rounds of ammunition at a nearby gun shop.
There is currently no evidence that Crooks used all these items in the attack that occurred on the evening of July 13. However, investigators believe he used the ladder to climb a building near Trump’s campaign event and fired at least eight shots towards the former president.
Crooks traveled north for about an hour by car, blending into the crowd heading to Trump’s campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. He parked outside the event area. Authorities later discovered an improvised explosive device (IED) connected to a signal transmitter hidden in the car’s trunk.
This led investigators to speculate that Crooks may have planned to detonate the IED remotely as a distraction from the shooting. It is still unclear how Crooks assembled the explosive device in his car.
A review of Crooks’ computer history showed no prior research on how to make explosives.
Law enforcement is working to trace Crooks’ movements in the 48 hours leading up to the incident to piece together his actions and determine his motive.
Authorities have successfully accessed Crooks’ personal phone and computer history, and are interviewing his family and friends. However, investigators have indicated that understanding Crooks’ political inclinations and the motives behind his actions remains challenging.
FBI Conducts Nearly 100 Interviews
In a July 15 press release, the FBI announced that they had successfully accessed Thomas Matthew Crooks’ phone and are continuing to analyze his electronic devices.
The FBI has conducted nearly 100 interviews with law enforcement personnel, event attendees, and other witnesses. They have also gathered substantial information from digital media, including photos and videos taken at the scene.
The AR-15 rifle used by Crooks in the incident, along with mobile devices, computers, and the IED, are currently being examined by the FBI, according to Fox News.
It was revealed that the AR-15 rifle Crooks used to shoot at Trump was legally purchased by his father, Matthew Crooks. According to Pennsylvania State Police records reviewed by investigators, this rifle is one of over 20 firearms registered and stored at the Crooks’ family home.