Trump rally shooter wrote online post foreshadowing assassination attempt: Report
Thomas Matthew Crooks, a 20-year-old man, hinted at his plans to attempt an assassination on former United States President Donald Trump in an online post, reports said. "July 13 will be my premiere, watch as it unfolds," Crooks allegedly wrote on Steam, a gaming platform. This information was revealed during a briefing with top law enforcement officials and US senators. On Saturday, Crooks fired shots at Trump at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
Investigation uncovers crooks' digital footprints
Investigators found images of both Trump and President Joe Biden on Crooks's cellphone. He had also searched for the dates of the Democratic National Convention and Trump's Pennsylvania rally. Despite these findings, a motive for the assassination attempt remains unclear. The investigation into his search history did not reveal any political leanings, even though Crooks was a registered Republican.
Delayed response to crooks' presence raises questions
A significant detail from the investigation revealed a 20-minute gap between when Secret Service snipers first spotted Crooks on a rooftop with a rifle and when he began firing at Trump. Multiple sources confirmed that snipers saw Crooks on the roof outside the rally's security zone at 5:52pm, but the shooting only began at 6:12pm. At one point, Crooks was reportedly looking through his rangefinder at the snipers who were observing him.
Fatal consequences of the assassination attempt
The shooting incident resulted in the death of a 50-year-old man and injuries to two other rally attendees. Crooks was shot dead by snipers within 26 seconds after firing his first shot at Trump. He had been identified as a person of interest over an hour before the shooting took place. This delay has increased scrutiny on the Secret Service's handling of the assassination attempt.
