The FBI confirmed Monday that former President Donald Trump will sit for an interview following the July 13 assassination attempt against him during his rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
The “standard victim interview” is something the agency said is common practice in any crime they investigate.
“As part of our normal investigative process, we regularly interview victims of crime to offer our support and learn more about their perspective regarding their experience,” Kevin Rojek, the special agent in charge of the FBI’s Pittsburgh Field Office, told reporters during a phone briefing. “To that end, we have contacted former President Trump and he has agreed to participate in the victim interview.”
Rojek emphasized the interview, which Trump said will take place on Thursday, “will be consistent with any other victim interview that we do.”
“We want to get his perspective on what he observed, so, just like any other witness to the crime, as well as get his perspective on what occurred to him during that event,” Rojek added.
In the briefing with journalists, FBI officials disclosed new information about the shooter, 20-year-old Matthew Thomas Crooks, who in addition to injuring Trump, killed one rally-goer and seriously injured two others.
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Crooks purchased chemicals using pseudonyms to develop three explosive devices, two of which were at the rally site while one was at his residence. He also made more than two dozen firearms-related purchases from online stores using various aliases.
Prior to the shooting, Crooks researched the failed assassination attempt on Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, as well as mass shooting incidents, explosives, and more.
According to the FBI officials, the agency is working to put together a timeline of Crooks' actions and is not focused on the actions of local law enforcement or Secret Service.
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