Donald Trump's would-be assassin Thomas Matthew Crooks was flying a drone above the rally site two hours before the shooting, positioned just 200 yards from the stage, FBI Director Christopher Wray told Congress on Wednesday.
Wray made this startling revelation during intense questioning by lawmakers about the investigation into the assassination attempt on the former president and the massive security lapses. On July 13, Crooks fired at Trump from the roof of a nearby building located just outside the event's security perimeter in Butler, Pennsylvania, hitting Trump in the ear from a distance of only 400 feet. He was shot dead by a Secret Service sniper the very next moment.
Shocking Revelations
Wray revealed that investigators found Crooks had used a drone to survey the rally site hours before the event, with the drone found in his nearby parked car. The drone was flown around 4 p.m., about 200 yards from the stage, to inspect the area.
Trump appeared on stage around 6:03 p.m., more than two hours later.
The FBI also recovered three "explosive devices" from Crooks. While described as "relatively crude," these devices were capable of being "detonated remotely," Wray said.
The FBI director said that eight bullet cartridges were found on the roof where Crooks fired at the former president.
Wray also indicated that the possibility of accomplices to Crooks remains under investigation by law enforcement.
When questioned about why the president was allowed on stage despite the "threat" being identified 20 minutes before the shooting, Wray admitted, "we don't know the answer to that."
However, he emphasized that his investigation was not centered on the security breach or the failures of the Secret Service. "Our investigation is focused on the shooter and all things related to his attack," Wray said.
His testimony follows the recent resignation of former Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle, who was forced to step down after deflecting multiple rounds of questioning by referring to the FBI during a congressional hearing earlier this week.
Even FBI in the Dark
Wray assured that his agency would leave "no stone unturned" and stressed his commitment to sharing all available information about the ongoing investigation. "Even though the shooter is deceased, the FBI's investigation is very much ongoing," he said.
He also highlighted his long-standing warnings to Congress about the dangers of domestic terrorism.
"We've seen it against public officials of all sorts, we've seen it against law enforcements the number of officers shot and killed in the line of duty is alarming."
"It's almost every five days that a law enforcement officer is killed in the line of duty, that is an example of the kinds of ways passion and heated rhetoric can bubble over into violence."
The Judiciary Committee hearing is expected to address both the shooting at the Butler, Pennsylvania rally and concerns about the "ongoing politicization" of the FBI.
Questions about a thwarted Iranian plot to assassinate Donald Trump are also likely to be a contentious issue. Last week's explosive report disclosed that the U.S. had received intelligence about an Iranian assassination plot in the weeks leading up to the shooting at the Pennsylvania rally.
House Republicans are also expected to vote this week to form a bipartisan task force to investigate the shooting.
