Trump to be Interviewed by FBI Following Pennsylvania Assassination Attempt
WASHINGTON — Former President Donald Trump is set to be interviewed by the FBI as part of an ongoing investigation into an assassination attempt during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. An FBI special agent revealed that the assailant had conducted research on mass attacks and explosive devices prior to the incident.
This interview aligns with the FBI’s established protocol of speaking with victims during criminal investigations. On July 13, Trump was reportedly hit in the ear by a bullet or a fragment while attending the rally.
Kevin Rojek, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Pittsburgh field office, stated, “We want to get his perspective on what he observed. It is a standard victim interview like we would do for any other victim of crime.”
The FBI investigation has included over 450 interviews, which have helped create a detailed profile of the shooter, identified as Thomas Matthew Crooks. Authorities describe the 20-year-old as highly intelligent but socially reclusive, interacting minimally even in online platforms.
Crooks’ parents are cooperating fully with the investigation and have expressed that they had no prior knowledge of their son’s intentions, a claim deemed credible by the FBI.
While no clear motive has surfaced, evidence suggests extensive planning on Crooks’ part, including the recent purchase of chemical materials used in explosive devices found in his car and home. He was also seen deploying a drone for surveillance near the rally site shortly before the event.
The day prior to the shooting, Crooks practiced at a local shooting range using the weapon involved in the attack. Following the shooting, authorities discovered two explosive devices in his car and a third in his home. The devices were designed to detonate but failed to do so due to being in an "off" position.
Rojek stated that Crooks had online searches related to high-profile public figures, including President Joe Biden, and had researched mass shootings and explosive devices. On the day he registered to attend the rally, Crooks searched for information related to Lee Harvey Oswald, the assassin of President John F. Kennedy.
Concerns have also been raised regarding security lapses before the attack. Senator Chuck Grassley released messages showing local officers discussing a suspicious figure, later identified as Crooks, who was present over an hour before the shooting.
Crooks, equipped with an AR-style rifle legally purchased by his father, fired eight shots at the rally stage before being neutralized by a Secret Service counter-sniper. Trump recounted being “shot with a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear.” Tragically, a rally attendee was killed, and two others were injured during the incident.
Local law enforcement officers expressed their expectation that their concerns would prompt an immediate investigation into the suspicious individual but reported that this did not occur.
As the investigation continues, the FBI has not yet publicly commented further on Crooks’ motivations or the details surrounding the attack.
