New Details Emerge in Butler County Incident
In a significant development, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has released the first images of the weapon used by Thomas Crooks in his failed assassination attempt on former U.S. President Donald Trump. The incident took place last month in Butler County, Pennsylvania.
Thomas Crooks, a 20-year-old shooter, was neutralized by the U.S. Secret Service after firing multiple rounds from an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle. Trump narrowly escaped death as a bullet grazed the top portion of his right ear, missing his head by mere inches.
Crooks managed to fire from a building just 130 meters away from the Republican leader, despite being well within the security perimeter established by the Secret Service, FBI, and local law enforcement agencies.
Weapon details released
The FBI disclosed that Crooks broke down the semi-automatic DPMS DR-15 rifle into two pieces and transported it in a black SwissGear backpack to infiltrate the rally. One of the released photos shows the rifle fully assembled, positioned next to a ruler, measuring approximately 36 inches from stock to barrel.
Explosives found in trunk
The FBI also unveiled images of the trunk of Crooks’ car, where two improvised explosive devices (IEDs) were discovered. The receiver that enabled remote detonation was set in the “off” position. According to the bureau, the devices had “several problems with the way they were constructed.”
Climbing route exposed
A photo of an air-conditioning unit outside the AGR building, which Crooks used to climb and position himself for the attack, was also disclosed. “The subject accessed the roof by climbing on the tan machine on the far right side of the photo,” the FBI stated.
Motive remains unclear
During a briefing on Wednesday, FBI officials said the motive for the assassination attempt remains unknown. Crooks exhibited a “mixture of ideologies,” and his social media footprint provided little to no inclination regarding his political leanings.
Interestingly, Crooks was a registered Republican but had donated to the Progressive Turnout Project—a liberal voter turnout group—through the Democratic donation platform ActBlue.
The FBI previously confirmed that Crooks had searched for both Trump and Biden leading up to the events of July 13.
As the investigation unfolds, these new revelations add layers of complexity to an already intricate case, raising questions about security lapses and the motivations behind such a brazen attack.