Trump rally shooter's final hours: Firing practice, buying ammunition, ladder
Law enforcement agencies have pieced together the final 48 hours of Thomas Matthew Crooks, the 20-year-old gunman behind the assassination attempt on former United States President Donald Trump. CNN reported that Crooks first visited a local shooting range for practice. The next day, he purchased a five-foot ladder from Home Depot and procured 50 rounds of ammunition from a gun store in Bethel Park, Pennsylvania.
Crooks's attack on Trump rally in Butler
Crooks then drove his Hyundai Sonata to Butler, Pennsylvania, where Trump was addressing a campaign rally. His vehicle was found to contain an improvised explosive device wired to a transmitter he carried. Using the ladder he had purchased earlier, Crooks scaled a building near the Butler Farm Show Grounds and opened fire on Trump with an AR-15-style rifle owned by his father.
Investigation into Crooks' motives
Despite witnesses reporting suspicious behavior, Crooks managed to fire multiple rounds before being fatally shot by US Secret Service agents. His attack resulted in minor injury to Trump and the death of 50-year-old spectator Corey Comperatore. Two others were critically wounded. Investigators have struggled to uncover Crooks's motives, with searches of his phone and computer revealing no evidence of political or ideological motivations but showing an interest in computer coding and gaming.
FBI treats incident as possible domestic terrorism
The FBI is treating the incident as possible domestic terrorism due to the presence of explosive materials in Crooks' vehicle. Nearly 100 interviews have been conducted with law enforcement personnel, event attendees, and other witnesses. Notably, no strong political affiliations or manifesto explaining his actions have been found. Former classmates at Bethel Park High described Crooks as intelligent but quiet with interests in chess, video games, and computer coding.
Review ordered for Secret Service's handling of security
US Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas has ordered an independent review of the US Secret Service's handling of security at the rally. Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden urged the public to avoid making assumptions about Crooks's motives. New details reveal that three police snipers spotted Crooks minutes before he opened fire. Despite this, he was able to position himself on a rooftop some 500 feet from Trump and open fire.
