Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) officials disclosed on July 14 that they suspect the individual who attempted to assassinate former President Donald Trump acted alone. The agency is treating the incident as both an assassination attempt and an act of domestic terrorism, as stated by officials during a press call with reporters.
The shooter has been identified as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks from Bethel, Pennsylvania. At a Trump rally in Butler on July 13, the assailant fired multiple shots from an elevated position near the venue. Witnesses reported seeing a man with a rifle on a rooftop of a nearby building.
Former President Donald Trump confirmed that a bullet grazed his right ear but assured that he is unharmed. Unfortunately, a 50-year-old firefighter named Corey Comperatore was fatally shot in the crowd, and two other attendees sustained injuries.
The FBI has not yet determined a motive for the attack. However, officials mentioned that Mr. Crook’s family is cooperating with the investigation.
Attorney General Merrick Garland condemned the assassination attempt on the former president, labeling it as “an attack on our democracy itself.”
During a sweep of Mr. Crook’s car, law enforcement discovered a “suspicious device” which was subsequently rendered safe by bomb technicians.
FBI Director Chris Wray characterized the shooting as an “assault on democracy and our democratic processes,” pledging that the agency will exhaust all avenues in their inquiry into the incident.
Before the attack, the perpetrator was not flagged as a potential threat by the FBI. Analysis of the shooter’s social media activity has not revealed any ideological or political motivations for the assault, according to officials.
Authorities have received over 2,000 tips related to the case. It is believed that the weapon used in the attack was a semi-automatic rifle resembling an AR-15.
Kevin Rojek, special agent in charge of the Pittsburgh Field Office, informed reporters that the firearm belonged to the shooter’s father, who legally purchased it. The circumstances surrounding how Mr. Crooks obtained the rifle, and whether his father was aware of its absence, remain unclear.
Investigations are ongoing to uncover these details through interviews, stated Mr. Rojek.
Contributions to this report were made by The Associated Press.
This is a developing story and will be updated accordingly.
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