 "What Trump rally shooter Thomas Matthew Crooks did 48 hours before assassination attempt")
There are more questions that answers following former United States President Donald Trump’s attempt on life on July 13 as he addressed a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
In an intricate investigation that has gripped the US, the final 48 hours of Thomas Matthew Crooks, the 20-year-old gunman who attempted the assassination have been roughly pieced together by US law enforcement. With Crooks’ motives still in the dark, his actions leading up to the attack do suggest a somewhat thorough preparation.
Crook’s activities in the lead-up to the attack
On the day of the attack, Crooks purchased 50 rounds of ammunition from a local gun store in Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, reported CNN. This purchase was just one in a series of alarming activities that federal investigators have been able to trace.
On the day prior, Crooks visited a shooting range where he practiced firing, according to a law enforcement official, who spoke to CNN.
The next morning, he went to Home Depot and bought a five-foot ladder.
Crooks then drove his Hyundai Sonata north to Butler, Pennsylvania, where he joined thousands attending Trump’s rally. The vehicle contained an improvised explosive device wired to a transmitter he carried.
The day of the attack
Crooks used the ladder to scale a building near the Butler Farm Show Grounds, where he opened fire on Trump, minutes into the former US president’s speech.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsCrooks used an AR-15-style rifle, one of more than 20 firearms owned by his father.
Witnesses reported Crooks acting suspiciously, and law enforcement was alerted. Despite this, Crooks managed to get to the rooftop, from where he fired multiple rounds, injuring Trump and killing 50-year-old spectator Corey Comperatore.
Two others were critically wounded before US Secret Service agents fatally shot Crooks.
So what was Crook’s motive?
Investigators have faced significant challenges in uncovering Crooks’ motives. Despite breaking into his phone and searching his computer, they have not found evidence of political or ideological motivations.
Instead, his online activity showed a typical interest in computer coding and gaming. A remote-control detonator was found on Crooks, and his car’s trunk contained a metal box of explosives wired to a receiver, suggesting a potential plan for a more destructive attack.
The FBI is treating the incident as a possible case of domestic terrorism, as explosive materials were found in Crooks’ vehicle. They have conducted nearly 100 interviews with law enforcement personnel, event attendees, and other witnesses.
Crooks was a registered Republican but had also donated to a Democratic PAC in 2021. Publicly available information revealed no strong political affiliations or manifesto that could explain his actions.
What do Crook’s acquaintances have to say about him?
Crooks’ former classmates at Bethel Park High, where he graduated in 2022, described him as an intelligent but quiet student who was involved in chess and video games and learning computer coding.
Some classmates recalled him being rejected from the school’s rifle club due to poor aim, with one telling ABC News, “He didn’t just not make the team, he was asked not to come back because of how bad of a shot he was. It was considered dangerous.”
Despite his quiet demeanor, one classmate remarked that people thought of him as someone who might “shoot up the school,” though this was seen as an exaggeration at the time.
His parents, who are cooperating with law enforcement, were shocked by his actions, with his uncle telling The Independent, “He never wanted to bother [with maintaining a relationship], so we don’t see him.”
What now?
US Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas has ordered an independent review of the US Secret Service's handling of security at the rally, reported ABC News. US Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle agreed to the review. Local law enforcement, who assisted with rally security, defended their actions, noting the difficulty in preventing such a well-coordinated attack.
Former US President Trump sustained a minor injury, a wound to his ear, but his campaign confirmed he was fine. US President Joe Biden urged the public to avoid making assumptions about the gunman’s motives.
Also Read: How did a 20-year-old hoodwink US Secret Service?
The investigation continues, with US law enforcement officials attempting to make sense of the incident that has shocked and disrupted the nation’s political landscape.
With inputs from agencies
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