The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director, Christopher Wray, revealed on Wednesday that the gunman who attempted to assassinate Donald Trump at a campaign rally had been researching the assassination of former U.S. President John F. Kennedy in the days leading up to the attack.
During a congressional committee hearing, Wray disclosed that the suspect, 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, conducted online searches related to the November 1963 shooting of JFK.
Two hours before Trump took the stage in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13, Crooks allegedly flew a drone over the event venue.
Wray reported to the House Judiciary Committee that while the investigation into the attack continues, the FBI has yet to determine a definitive motive. “Uncovering the motive is one of our primary objectives,” he stated.
Trump survived the assassination attempt with a wound to his right ear. The suspected gunman was shot and killed by a Secret Service sniper less than 30 seconds after firing eight shots.
“With respect to former president Trump, there’s some question about whether or not it’s a bullet or shrapnel that, you know, that hit his ear,” FBI chief Wray said.
The attack also resulted in two rally attendees sustaining serious injuries and the death of a 50-year-old Pennsylvania firefighter.
Wray explained that Crooks had been investigating various public figures without a discernible pattern and that the FBI has not found any significant ideological or motivational indicators from typical sources of information.
“Starting around July 6, Crooks became intensely focused on former President Trump and this particular rally,” Wray reported, adding that Crooks registered to attend the event in Butler, Pennsylvania, on the same day.
Wray highlighted that on July 6, Crooks conducted a Google search asking, “How far away was Oswald from Kennedy?” This search, Wray noted, is significant in understanding Crooks’ mindset.
The FBI director confirmed that there is no evidence suggesting that Crooks had any accomplices or co-conspirators, describing him as a “loner.”
The attack took place from the roof of a nearby building, where Crooks used an AR-style assault rifle to target Trump shortly after 6:00 p.m. as the Republican candidate addressed the rally.
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