FBI unveils images of Thomas Crooks' weapon and explosives in car
The FBI alleges that Thomas Crooks put in a considerable amount of planning to execute an attack on a specific event.
On Wednesday, the FBI disclosed more information about Thomas Crooks' actions prior to and during the July 13 campaign rally, where one person was killed.
The FBI has not yet identified a motive for the shooter or any accomplices who had prior knowledge of the attack, according to Kevin Rojek, special agent in charge of the FBI Pittsburgh Field Office. However, Rojek stated during a press conference that Crooks had a meticulous plan to carry out an attack on a specific event, which he had carefully researched and considered.
The 20-year-old gunman became intensely fixated on Trump's rally in Butler when it was announced in early July, despite having no discernible political ideology, Rojek stated.
In late September 2023, an account linked to Crooks searched for information on former President Trump's campaign schedule and upcoming events in Pennsylvania, according to Rojek.
From April 2024 to July 12, the subject searched for campaign events related to both former President Trump and President Biden, including events scheduled in western Pennsylvania on July 4, 2024. On July 9, he searched for a "ballistic calculator," according to Rojek.
On July 6th, he looked up particulars regarding Trump's event in Butler.
"On July 8, the subject searched for "AGR international," and on July 10, he searched for "weather in Butler." In the 30 days prior to the attack, the subject conducted more than 60 searches related to President Biden and former President Trump."
He also mentioned specific searches performed on July 5, such as "When is the DNC convention?" and "When is the RNC in 2024?"
An hour and a half before Trump began speaking at the rally, a row of vendors saw Crooks walking outside the perimeter at 4:26 p.m. on July 13, as confirmed by the FBI.
Video footage captured a group of thieves scaling the American Glass Research (AGR) building and jumping between rooftops from 6:05 to 6:08.
WATCH:
Rojek stated that the subject was only on the roof for approximately six minutes before being neutralized between 6:05 and 6:11 p.m. He later denied rumors that there was a second shooter.
Rojek informed Planet Chronicle Digital that Crooks flew a drone for 11 minutes, from 3:51 p.m. to 4:02 p.m., on the day of the rally.
WATCH:
The special agent-in-charge stated that the FBI's observations from the drone's flight path would have been beneficial for our subject to evaluate the security posture at the event.
"Rojek stated that we cannot determine the precise motivation for the subject's drone flight, as it can only be determined through our evaluation of the flight path and the information gathered through lab analysis."
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