Federal investigators are looking into the possibility that a potential assassin had been scouting the area where former President Donald J. Trump was scheduled to speak six days before the campaign rally in Pennsylvania where the former president was wounded. The gunman, Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, of Bethel Park, Pa., had geolocation data on his cellphone that indicated he may have been in the vicinity of the site, the Butler Farm Show grounds, on July 7.
Mr. Crooks opened fire from a warehouse roof at the rally site, injuring the former president and others. The revelation that he may have been in the area before law enforcement conducted a security assessment raises concerns about how the Secret Service handled security measures for the event.
Despite the warehouse closest to Mr. Trump’s stage being within rifle range, the Secret Service decided to exclude a complex of warehouses to the north from the security zone, a decision now facing scrutiny from Congress. Mr. Crooks had informed his employer at a nursing home that he needed Saturday off for something important, and he visited a gun range the day before the shooting. He also purchased ammunition from a nearby gun store.
After the authorities neutralized Mr. Crooks, they found a bulletproof vest, several rifle magazines, and explosive devices in his car. The F.B.I. is delving into Mr. Crooks’s digital devices to uncover more information about his motives and activities leading up to the shooting. Despite the agency’s usual ability to gather information quickly in high-profile cases, Mr. Crooks has remained somewhat of a mystery, with few online clues about his intentions.
While officials have stated that Mr. Crooks did not have a known mental illness, they revealed that he had searched online for “major depressive disorder.” The ongoing investigation aims to paint a clearer picture of Mr. Crooks and his actions in the months before the attempted assassination.
The F.B.I. is dedicated to understanding the events that led to this tragic incident and ensuring the safety and security of public figures in the future. As more details emerge, the investigation will continue to shed light on the motivations and behaviors of individuals like Mr. Crooks who pose a threat to public figures and events.
