The Federal Bureau of Investigation held a call with reporters Wednesday and detailed new information about the man, Thomas Crooks, who attempted to assassinate former President Donald Trump during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania on July 13, 2024.
According to officials, who are still unwilling to confirm a motive, Crooks searched for both Biden and Trump events prior to attending the rally where he shot Trump in the ear, killed 50-year-old Corey Comperatore and severely wounded two more attendees. Investigators say they are certain Crooks acted alone and that he attempted to obtain explosives for many years prior to the attack.
"There was no second shooter shooting at the former president that day. All the rounds have been accounted for. We have zero reason to believe there was a second shooter,” Special Agent in Charge of FBI Pittsburgh Kevin Rojek said.
FBI photo: "Two improvised explosive devices as initially discovered in Thomas Crooks’ car trunk. The receiver for remote detonation was in the 'off' position; devices had several problems in the way they were constructed."https://t.co/pvJyWIbJ0y pic.twitter.com/XnS1xDFdvM
— Steve Lookner (@lookner) August 28, 2024
The FBI also said they have seen "no evidence" Crooks was "directed by a foreign entity.”
Meanwhile, members of Congress are doing their own investigation into the situation and visited the site in Butler earlier this week.
Today, the bipartisan House Task Force, led by @MikeKellyPA, visited the site of the attempted assassination of President Trump in Butler, PA.
— Speaker Mike Johnson (@SpeakerJohnson) August 26, 2024
Congress is working diligently to get the facts, bring accountability, and prevent this from ever happening again. https://t.co/dgvY7LDCLz
We have to rely on leaks to hear the truth about the @realDonaldTrump shooter and the @SecretService failure at the Butler rally. New pieces of the puzzle aren’t adding up and the intel agencies are going to try to hide the full story from us. @CoryMillsFL says his congressional… pic.twitter.com/HbYQFrKrck
— Jesse Watters (@JesseBWatters) August 27, 2024
According to Republican Congressman Mike Waltz, who is a member of the House Foreign Relations Committee, Crooks had a number of foreign encryptions on his phone.
BREAKING: Congressman Mike Waltz says according to an FBI briefing, the Trump shooter had three encrypted accounts OVERSEAS, at the same time we’re hearing the Iranians are plotting against Trump. pic.twitter.com/fXMjenRVe0
— Jesse Watters (@JesseBWatters) July 19, 2024