BELOW SUPERNAV drop zone ⇩

Trump shooter saw rally as ‘target of opportunity,’ FBI assesses

MAIN AREA TOP drop zone ⇩

MAIN AREA TOP drop zone ⇩

ovp test

mLife Diagnostics LLC: Oral Fluid Drug Testing

Male shot by female at Shreveport apartment

Class to create biodiverse backyard

Rules for outbursts at Caddo School Board Meeting

maylen

https://digital-stage.newsnationnow.com/

AUTO TEST CUSTOM HTML 20241114185800

AUTO TEST CUSTOM HTML 20241115200405

AUTO TEST CUSTOM HTML 20241118165728

AUTO TEST CUSTOM HTML 20241118184948

The gunman who opened fire on former President Trump researched a number of events from both parties before becoming “hyper-focused” on the campaign rally in Butler, Pa., as a “target of opportunity.” 

Speaking with reporters Wednesday, various FBI officials said they have not yet determined what motivated 20-year-old shooter Thomas Matthew Crooks to engage in political violence but found he was not initially fixated on any one political figure.

“We saw through our analysis of all his — particularly his online searches — a sustained, detailed effort to plan an attack on some event, meaning he looked at any number of events or targets. And then, when this event was announced — the Trump rally was announced early in July — he became hyper focused on that specific event and looked at it as a target of opportunity,” Kevin Rojek, special agent in charge of the Pittsburgh FBI field office, said when asked about the subject’s “mindset.”

“We are not ready to make any conclusive statements regarding motive at this time.”

Crooks had also done searches relating to both the Republican National Convention and the Democratic National Convention.

“We see no definitive ideology associated with our subject, either left leaning or right leaning. It’s really been a mixture and something that we’re still attempting to analyze and draw conclusions on,” Rojek added.

Crooks was taken out by a Secret Service countersniper after he fired eight shots, including one that pierced Trump’s ear during the July 13 rally, while also wounding two others and killing rally attendee Corey Comperatore.

The call was the third such update from the FBI, which is responsible for investigating the shooting, pushing back on what the agency referred to as conspiracy theories floated after the attack.

The FBI has yet to uncover any evidence that Crooks worked with an accomplice or at the direction of any foreign government, it said.

The agency also specifically ruled out chatter about a second shooter.

“I can confirm that there was no second shooter shooting at the former president. We know that there were 10 rounds fired that day, eight from our subject, one from a local law enforcement officer and one from the Secret Service sniper,” Rojek said.

“All the rounds have been accounted for and attributed to those three individuals.”

The agency also noted it has completed its victim interview with Trump, something it previously described as “standard.” 

“During this productive interview, agents took the time to provide the former president with an in-depth briefing on the investigation and answered his questions regarding the attempt on his life. We’re grateful to the former president for his cooperation and his time,” Rojek said.

Crime

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed

 

MAIN AREA MIDDLE drop zone ⇩

Trending on NewsNation

AUTO TEST CUSTOM HTML 20241119133138

MAIN AREA BOTTOM drop zone ⇩

tt

KC Chiefs parade shooting: 1 dead, 21 shot including 9 kids | Morning in America

Witness of Chiefs parade shooting describes suspect | Banfield

Kansas City Chiefs parade shooting: Mom of 2 dead, over 20 shot | Banfield

WWE star Ashley Massaro 'threatened' by board to keep quiet about alleged rape: Friend | Banfield

Friend of WWE star: Ashley Massaro 'spent hours' sobbing after alleged rape | Banfield

Clear

la

51°F Clear Feels like 51°
Wind
2 mph N
Humidity
66%
Sunrise
Sunset

Tonight

Clear skies. Low 46F. Winds light and variable.
46°F Clear skies. Low 46F. Winds light and variable.
Wind
1 mph NNE
Precip
1%
Sunset
Moon Phase
Waning Gibbous