Trump shooter Thomas Matthew Crooks dismantled his AR-15 rifle into two parts, so that he could hide it inside his backpack as he moved through the crowd at the Butler, Pennsylvania rally, the FBI said on Wednesday. Crooks was smart enough and knew that he could get caught with the AR-15 rifle he was carrying to target Trump and took all safety measures to bluff FBI.
The bureau also released the first images of the semi-automatic DPMS DR-15 rifle, along with the black backpack with orange and white details that authorities found at the scene. Crooks was shot dead by Secret Service agents seconds after he shot at the ex-president.
Gun That was Used to Shoot Trump
"Thomas Crooks' rifle broken down as was likely done for transport and the backpack recovered onsite," The FBI captioned the bombshell new image.
Another photo showed the rifle fully assembled, with a ruler placed alongside it, showing its length to be approximately 36 inches from stock to barrel.
The agency also shared images of two improvised explosive devices found in the trunk of Crooks' car, with the receiver for remote detonation set to the "off" position. The bureau said that the devices had "several issues with how they were constructed."
This came as Federal investigators revealed that Trump's would-be assassin had considered targeting several events involving both the Republican nominee and President Biden before ultimately choosing last month's rally in Butler.
However, the shooter's exact motive remains unclear.
Thomas Matthew Crooks "conducted over 60 searches related to President Biden and former President Trump," including inquiries 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."
Crooks and His Plans Unclear
Investigators found that Crooks held a "mixture of ideologies" but did not seem to have a clear or consistent worldview. Rojek said that while they gained "valuable insight into his mindset," they did not uncover a specific motive.
"We have not uncovered any credible evidence indicating the subject conspired with anyone else," he added before saying that there was "no second shooter" in an apparent response to conspiracy theories swirling online.
Crooks, 20, was shot dead by a counter-sniper on July 13 after his gunfire struck audience member Corey Comperatore and injured Trump, 78, along with two other spectators.
Investigators found that eight days before the rally, Crooks had searched for terms like "When is the DNC convention" and "When is the RNC in 2024."
Crooks also searched asking, "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 early as September 2023, authorities found that an account linked to Crooks had searched for Trump's "schedule" for events in Pennsylvania.
In addition to examining Crooks' internet history and encrypted messaging accounts from abroad, investigators conducted "nearly 1,000 interviews," including one with Trump, according to Rojak.
Rojek stressed that Crooks' parents, who have engaged a leading Pittsburgh law firm, "have given us all the information we asked and have been very cooperative."
Officials confirmed that Crooks fired eight rounds before being stopped by a "single gunshot wound to the head."
