Donald Trump assassination attempt: FBI investigating attack as ‘potential domestic terrorism’

Investigators are reportedly going through suspect Thomas Matthew Crooks’ cell phone to determine a motive in the shooting.

Published on: Jul 15, 2024, 13:49:12 IST

By Sumanti Sen

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The FBI is investigating the attempted assassination of Donald Trump as “potential domestic terrorism,” the bureau has announced. Investigators are reportedly going through suspect Thomas Matthew Crooks’ cell phone to determine a motive in the shooting.

Donald Trump assassination attempt: FBI investigating attack as ‘potential domestic terrorism’ (AP)

The FBI has said that it seems as though the 20-year-old suspect acted alone but they are still probing “if there were any co-conspirators associated” with the attack in Pennsylvania. Crooks injured Trump and two other people, and killed another person, before being killed by Secret Service snipers.

What is the FBI saying?

“The FBI is investigating the shooting incident at the July 13 rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, which resulted in one victim’s death and injuries to former President Trump and other spectators, as an assassination attempt and potential domestic terrorism,” the bureau said in a statement, according to New York Post.

“We are working to determine the sequence of events and the shooter’s movements prior to the shooting, collecting and reviewing evidence, conducting interviews, and following up on all leads. We have also obtained the shooter’s telephone for examination,” the statement added.

The shooting resulted in the death of Corey Comperatore, a firefighter, who took a bullet while trying to protect his family. He served as chief of a volunteer company in the early 2000s. But later cut back his role to focus on his family.

Crooks’ former classmates have said that he was “relentlessly” bullied in high school. He graduated from Bethel Park High School in 2022. They also said he was known for wearing “hunting” outfits to class, and liked playing video games.

Crooks opened fire on Saturday, July 13, after scaling the roof of a manufacturing plant about 130 yards from the rally site. After he was killed, investigators discovered explosives in his car, which was parked not far from the grounds where the rally was held.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sumanti Sen
Sumanti Sen covers everything that’s happening in the US, from politics to entertainment, but her expertise lies in covering crime news. She has comprehensively chronicled the Idaho student murders, the Laken Riley and Iryna Zarutska cases, and the killing of Charlie Kirk, among other incidents. Over the years, she has interviewed several victims/families of victims of crimes seeking justice. She digs up stories that might otherwise remain unheard, and does her bit to ensure that victims and survivors’ voices are heard. Sumanti’s many years of experience also include interviews with Hamas attack survivors and mental health experts, among others. Her coverage of the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel and interviews with survivors of the tragedy, coupled with her other works including the Titan submersible coverage, earned her the Digi Journo of the Quarter award during her first year at Hindustan Times. Sumanti actively tracks missing person cases in the United States, and peruses Reddit and other social media platforms to bring to light cases that frequently elude public attention. She has extensively covered the disappearances of Nancy Guthrie, Thomas Medlin, Beau Mann, and Sudiksha Konanki, among others. When not at work, you will either find her with her novels, or with her beloved rescue pooches.Read More

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