More information is being uncovered surrounding the assassination attempt of former President Donald Trump, but one thing that remains unclear is the motive why Thomas Crooks opened fire during a political rally that left Trump wounded.
A senior FBI official said on Wednesday that Thomas Crooks searched for several events and targets before he decided on the Butler, Pennsylvania, The Associated Press reported.
Kevin Rojek, FBI special agent in charge of the Pittsburgh field office, said the shooting on July 13 was a “target of opportunity.”
The FBI said the gunman did internet searches for “Where will Trump speak from at Butler Farm Show?” “Butler Farm Show podium” and “Butler Farm Show photos.”
Crooks also looked for information on both the Republican National Convention and the Democratic National Convention before settling on the rally held at the Butler Farm Show, NBC News reported.
He searched for campaign events not only for Trump, but also for President Joe Biden who, at the time, was the presumptive Democratic nominee, but who has since dropped from the race.
Rojek said that the gunman had a “sustained, detailed effort to plan an attack” and “looked at any number of events and targets,” adding that Crooks became focused on the Butler County event.
Rojek said there is still no motive and that they found a “mixture of ideologies” in Crooks’ online accounts.
“I would say that we see no definitive ideology associated with our subject, either left-leaning or right-leaning,” Rojek said, according to NBC News. “It’s really been a mixture and something we’re still attempting to analyze and draw conclusions on.”
“We have a clear idea of mindset, but we are not ready to make any conclusive statements regarding motive at this time,” Rojek said, according to the AP.
Trump was hit in the ear during the shooting. Former fire chief Corey Comperatore was killed while two other rally attendees were wounded. Crooks was shot by a Secret Service agent.
Trump sat with the FBI for a victim-impact interview that the agency called “productive.” The FBI said they gave him an “in-depth briefing” on the investigation.
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