Donald Trump’s would-be assassin considered targeting a number of events involving both the Republican nominee and President Biden before settling on last month’s rally in Butler, Pa., federal investigators said Wednesday — while adding that the gunman’s ultimate motive remains unknown.
Thomas Matthew Crooks “conducted more than 60 searches related to President Biden and former President Trump,” including queries about both the Republican and Democratic national conventions, FBI Pittsburgh Field Office Special Agent in Charge Kevin Rojek told reporters.
“He looked at any number of events or targets,” Rojek explained. “[When] the Trump rally was announced early in July, he became hyper-focused on that specific event and looked at it as a target opportunity.”
Investigators determined that Crooks espoused a “mixture of ideologies” but didn’t appear to have a “definitive” world view, with Rojak saying investigators had found “valuable insight into his mindset but not a motive.”
“We have not uncovered any credible evidence indicating the subject conspired with anyone else,” he added before declaring there was “no second shooter” in an apparent response to conspiracy theories swirling online.
Crooks, 20, was killed by a counter-sniper July 13 after his bullets cut down audience member Corey Comperatore and wounded Trump, 78, and two other spectators.
Eight days before the rally, investigators found, Crooks had searched for “When is the DNC convention” and “When is the RNC in 2024.”
Other alarming searches asked, “Where will Trump speak from at Butler farm show,” “Butler farm show podium,” “Butler farm show photos,” “detonating cord,” “blasting cap,” “How to make a bomb from fertilizer” and “how do remote detonators work.”
As far back as September 2023, authorities found, an account associated with Crooks had searched Trump’s “schedule” for Pennsylvania events
In addition to pouring through Crooks’ internet history and overseas encrypted messaging accounts, investigators had conducted “nearly 1,000 interviews,” according to Rojak, including a sit-down with Trump.
Rojek stressed that Crooks’ parents, who have retained a top Pittsburgh law firm, “have provided all the information that we have asked and have been extremely cooperative.”
Crooks fired eight rounds before he was stopped by a “single gunshot wound to the head,” officials confirmed.
Meanwhile, the bipartisan House task force probing the attempted assassination blasted out a sprawling document and interview request earlier Wednesday.
Chairman Mike Kelly (R-Pa.) and Ranking Member Jason Crow (D-Colo.) demanded the Department of Homeland Security fork over a trove of internal communications, as well as lists of individuals in charge of 17 specific aspects of rally security, transcripts of internal interviews, and the security plan for that day, among other records.
“The Task Force is investigating all actions by any agency, Department, officer, or employee of the federal government, as well as State and local law enforcement or any other State or local government or private entities or individuals related to the attempted assassination,” Kelly and Crow wrote in a letter to DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.
Kelly, whose district encompasses Butler, and Crow gave DHS a deadline of Sept. 4 to comply with their lengthy list of demands in a seven-page letter, which was first reported by Politico.
Six Democrat and three Republican members of the task force visited the Butler Farm Show grounds Monday to tour the site where the harrowing attempt on Trump’s life took place.
There are multiple investigations already underway into the attempt to kill the 45th president, including from several Senate committees, the FBI, DHS review panel and DHS Office of the Inspector General.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) unveiled the bipartisan task force last month to look into the security failings that preceded the attack.
The Secret Service has faced a firestorm of criticism after Crooks managed to crawl across the top of a shed about 130 yards from where Trump was speaking and squeeze off multiple rounds.
Kimberly Cheatle, the protective agency’s then-director, stepped down last month amid intense pressure.
At least five other officials have been moved to administrative duty over the debacle.
Trump has publicly stated that he will trek back to Butler for a rally there in October to honor Comperatore.
DHS did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
