FBI Director Christopher Wray revealed new information about the attempt to assassinate Donald Trump during his testimony to Congress on July 24.
Wray was called to testify in front of the House Committee on the Judiciary to discuss the oversight of the FBI, focusing on the organization's ongoing investigation of the attempt to assassinate former president Donald Trump. So far, the FBI has not been able to determine what happened; however, during the hearing, Wray provided Congress with some information the FBI recently discovered.
FBI Director Wray reveals where he was when former President Trump had been shot and his initial reaction to the news:
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) July 24, 2024
"I was about to have dinner with family, and I was horrified. And angry.” pic.twitter.com/eUyEFjYry9
When speaking to Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ.), Wray said one thing the FBI had not reported yet was that the weapon had a “collapsible stock.” Wray explained that this information is helpful in furthering the investigation because it could contribute to why it was “less easy” for people at the rally to “observe” Crooks.
“The first people to observe him with the weapon were when he was already on the roof,” Wray said. “We haven't yet found anybody with first-hand observation of him with a weapon walking around beforehand. That doesn't mean he wasn’t, but the collapsible stock is potentially a very significant feature that might be relevant to that.”
FBI Director Way reveals that the weapon used by the would-be Trump assassin had a collapsable stock, which he says is a "significant" detail. pic.twitter.com/LQFKCedka5
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) July 24, 2024
Another piece of information Wray disclosed from the investigation is Crooks appeared to have registered for the Butler rally in Pennsylvania on the same day he made a Google search for “How far was Oswald from Kennedy?” Wray claimed the FBI found this information by analyzing a laptop that the investigation ties to the shooter.
Wray also said the Google search was significant to the investigation because it revealed the shooter's “state of mind.”
FBI Director Wray on Crooks': "On July 6th, he did a Google search for 'How far away was Oswald from Kennedy?' and so that's a search that obviously is significant in terms of his state of mind...that is the same day that it appears that he registered for the Butler rally." pic.twitter.com/bsygFiTLYu
— CSPAN (@cspan) July 24, 2024
During the hearing, Wray also gave Congress an "update" on Crook's method of getting on the building's roof.
When Crook was shot, a "bloody receipt" for a five-foot ladder was found in his pocket. The receipt gave Americans the assumption that Crook used a ladder to get onto the roof.
At the hearing, Wray claimed the FBI did not find a ladder on site or in his vehicle; therefore, the FBI "does not believe he used a ladder" to get onto the roof. Instead, the FBI believes he used "mechanical equipment" and "piping."
"[Given] our evidence response teams and their forensic collection, we now believe that the subject climbed onto the roof using some mechanical equipment on the ground and vertical piping on the side of the HER building."
Wray now claims the assassin didn’t use a ladder???? pic.twitter.com/IKUViBgOYV
— Merissa Hansen (@merissahansen17) July 24, 2024