The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) announced new details about the investigation into the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump. The FBI also released photos, including a picture of the gun used in the attack.
The agency said it believes the gunman, 20-year-old Thomas Crooks, “engaged in detailed attack planning,” and became “hyper-focused” on Trump’s campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, once it was announced. The bureau said he searched online for specifics on the venue, including “Butler farm show podium.”
The agency also released photos of the AR-style rifle used in the attack. Another photo showed the rifle disassembled. FBI Director Christopher Wray told lawmakers in July that Crooks had a collapsible stock, which could explain why rallygoers likely didn’t see him with it.
A third photo showed “improvised explosive devices” found in the trunk of Crooks’ car. The agency said the receiver Crooks would have used to detonate the device remotely was turned off and had “several problems in the way it was constructed.”
The FBI also said Crooks made online searches pertaining to explosive devices, which included a “detonating cord” and “how to make a bomb from fertilizer” as early as 2019.
The FBI said it has not identified a motive nor any co-conspirators or associates of Crooks with advance knowledge of the attack. Investigators have also not seen any indication to suggest Crooks was directed by a foreign entity to conduct the attack.
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