Following their positive identification of the man who attempted to assassinate former President Donald Trump on Saturday evening in Pennsylvania, additional details about the would-be assassin's plans and other weapons have continued to surface.
In new reporting from The Wall Street Journal on Sunday morning, the firearm used by the shooter "had been purchased by his father," citing people familiar with the investigation. "Law enforcement officials have described the weapon as an AR-style rifle and said [the shooter] was able to fire multiple rounds from a rooftop before a Secret Service sniper fired back, killing him."
Authorities confirmed that the attempt on Trump's life also killed one rally attendee and critically wounded two others in a press conference late Saturday night.
In addition, the Wall Street Journal reported that "[a]uthorities found explosive devices in the car" belonging to the shooter, citing conversations with people who had been briefed on the investigation now led by the FBI:
The car, which was driven by [the shooter], was parked near the Trump rally in Butler, Pa., on Saturday, people said.
Police received multiple reports of suspicious packages around near where the shooter was, authorities said, prompting them to dispatch bomb technicians. Investigators were still working to make sure the scene was clear well into the night. They also searched [the shooter's] home and spoke with his family.
The Pentagon said on Sunday it had "confirmed with each of the military service branches that there is no military service affiliation for the suspect...in any branch, active or reserve component in their respective databases."
As more information comes to light, the big question remaining unanswered is why the shooter made an attempt on President Trump's life. In a press conference that began late Saturday night and went into the early hours of Sunday, authorities pledged investigators would be "working tirelessly to identify what [the shooter's] motive was."
investigators are working tirelessly to identify what that motive was.
Former President Trump, who credits "God alone" for preventing "the unthinkable from happening" on Saturday, was checked out by doctors following the attempted assassination and later returned to New Jersey. He has confirmed that he will attend the Republican National Convention beginning next week in Milwaukee where he'll be formally nominated on Thursday.
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