Crooks was shot dead by Secret Service agents after he fired from “an elevated position” at Trump during a rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday.
Trump said he was hit in the upper part of his ear with a bullet, but his campaign said the president was “fine.” A bystander at the rally was killed in the attempted assassination.
Here’s the latest on what we know about Crooks:
July 14, 12 p.m.: Explosives found: reports
The Wall Street Journal cited anonymous people briefed on the case that authorities later found explosive devices in Crooks’ car, which he had driven to the rally and parked up nearby.
Police received reports of suspicious packages in the area surrounding the shooter, and bomb technicians were dispatched to the scene, per The Journal.
Law enforcement also found materials to make a bomb at Crooks’ home, according to The Associated Press.
The FBI told Business Insider that the investigation into the shooting is still ongoing. Investigators haven’t determined Crooks’ motive as of Sunday morning.
July 14, 10 a.m.: AR-style rifle was reportedly used in the shooting
Law enforcement found an AR-15-type semiautomatic rifle near Crooks’ body, according to The New York Times.
Law enforcement officials told The Associated Press that investigators believed the weapon to have been bought by Crooks’ father.
Who was Thomas Matthew Crooks?
Voting records showed Crooks was registered as a Republican.
Crooks doesn’t appear to have a criminal record before the shooting, according to online Pennsylvania court records.
Federal Election Commission records revealed that someone matching Crooks’ name and address made a $15 donation in January 2021 to the Progressive Turnout Project via ActBlue, a platform that raises funds for political candidates.
The upcoming election in November would have been the first time Crooks would have been old enough to vote in a presidential race.
It is not yet clear what his motivation was for shooting at the former president.
The Bethel Park School District in Pennsylvania confirmed in a statement seen by local media that Crooks had graduated from Bethel Park High in 2022.
“Our school district will cooperate fully with the active law enforcement investigation surrounding this case,” the statement read.
According to local media outlet Triblive, Crooks had received a $500 “star award” from the National Math and Science Initiative.
According to reports from USA Today, dozens of law enforcement vehicles were stationed outside the address listed on Crooks’ voter registration record as of Sunday morning. Roads leading to the house were shut down.
Agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were on the scene, according to the outlet. A bomb squad was also in attendance.
Crooks’ residence is about an hour’s drive south of Butler.
Crooks’ father, Matthew Crooks, 53, told CNN that he was trying to figure out “what the hell is going on” and would wait until he spoke to law enforcement before speaking about his son.
Read the full article here
