The suspect in the attempted assassination Saturday of former President Donald Trump had explosives in his car and residence, CNN reported, citing law enforcement sources. The suspect also used a gun his father purchased, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing individuals familiar with the investigation.
A Secret Service sniper killed 20-year-old suspect Thomas Matthew Crooks at Trump’s rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, officials told CBS News, which added that multiple law enforcement sources said the gunman was armed with a semi-automatic AR-15 rifle and opened fire from a shed’s roof outside the cordoned-off rally area.
‘We do not currently have an identified motive,’ Kevin Rojek, FBI Pittsburgh special agent in charge, said at a briefing late Saturday night, according to CBS News.
ABC News, citing multiple law enforcement sources, reported that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted an urgent trace and found that the suspect’s father legally purchased the gun recovered at the scene.
Reuters said Crooks’ father — 53-year-old Matthew Crooks — told CNN he was trying to figure out what happened and would wait until he spoke to law enforcement before speaking about his son.
Trump survived the shooting but was seen on video bleeding from his ear, after which Secret Service whisked him away from the rally stage. Officials said one audience member was killed and two were in critical condition. CBS News, citing police, said the victims were all men, but their names haven’t been released.
The FBI said Crooks is from Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, CBS News noted. Bethel Park is about a half-hour south of Pittsburgh and just over an hour south of Butler, where the rally took place. The Washington Post reported that authorities by early Sunday had “sealed off the area around the alleged shooter’s home. Local fire department vehicles blocked access for several blocks, allowing only residents and investigators to enter.”
The Secret Service and FBI are speaking with the suspect’s family, the FBI has secured his home, and federal law enforcement is searching it, CBS News said, citing a law enforcement official. CNN, citing multiple law enforcement sources, reported that the suspect had explosive material inside his car and residence.
Fox News, citing voting records, reported that Thomas Matthew Crooks was a registered Republican, adding that he only took part in the Nov. 8, 2022, state election due to his age. Reuters — citing a 2021 Federal Election Commission filing — added that Crooks at age 17 made a $15 donation to ActBlue, a “political action committee that raises money for left-leaning and Democratic politicians.” The outlet added that the donation was for the Progressive Turnout Project, a national group that rallies Democrats to vote. Reuters reported that the groups didn’t immediately respond to request for comment.
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Crooks graduated from Bethel Park High School in 2022. He was one of nearly two dozen students from the school to earn a $500 “star award” from the National Math and Science Initiative.
An online recording of his graduation ceremony shows him walking the stage to minimal applause and briefly posing with a school official, the New York Times reported.
A search by Fox News Digital revealed Crooks would have turned 21 years old this September. He had no reported criminal or traffic citations and no reported bankruptcies, liens or foreclosures.
“We do not currently have an identified motive,” Kevin Rojek, FBI Pittsburgh special agent in charge, said at a briefing late Saturday night, according to CBS News.
A law enforcement official said early Sunday that there are so far no known foreign terrorism ties, the suspect was not on law enforcement’s radar, and authorities are still running down his name, CBS News added.
The FBI’s statement on Crooks also said “this remains an active and ongoing investigation, and anyone with information that may assist with the investigation is encouraged to submit photos or videos online at FBI.gov/butler or call 1-800-CALL-FBI.”
This story has been updated.
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