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(WASHINGTON) — The FBI has been able to obtain comprehensive analysis of the mindset of the suspected gunman who attempted to assassinate former President Donald Trump at his rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13, officials said Wednesday. However, the FBI has not yet been able to determine a clear motive.
In a conference call with the media on Wednesday afternoon, the FBI said it had conducted nearly 1,000 interviews, executed numerous search warrants, issued dozens of subpoenas and reviewed hundreds of hours of video footage as part of its investigation into the shooting.
During their investigation, officials said, they discovered that Thomas Matthew Crooks had been planning an attack on a major event “persistently and with great attention to detail.” However, when the Trump rally was announced, he became “hyper-focused” on it and viewed it as a “target of opportunity.”
In addition to a previously disclosed online search Crooks conducted on July 6 for “How far was (Lee Harvey) Oswald from (John F.) Kennedy?” officials said he also searched for “Where will Trump speak at the Butler Farm Show?” as well as “Butler Farm Show podium” and “Butler Farm Show photos.”
In the 30 days before the attack, the Crooks reportedly conducted “more than 60 searches related to former President Trump and President Biden,” the FBI said.
By reviewing Crooks’ online activity since 2019, investigators found that he had conducted several searches related to explosives, including “How do you make a bomb out of fertilizer?” and “How do remote detonators work?”
The FBI released a photo during its press conference on Wednesday showing an explosive device that was allegedly found in Crooks’ vehicle. After analyzing the explosive device, the FBI concluded that all components were purchased legally and were “readily available online.”
Officials also provided an update on the timeline of events leading up to the moments of the shooting. According to video obtained by a local business, Crooks first climbed to the roof of the AGR complex at 6:05 p.m. and traversed a series of rooftops before allegedly firing eight shots at 6:11 p.m., officials said. That means he was on the roof for a total of six minutes before he allegedly began shooting and was then killed by a Secret Service sniper.
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