The gunman who shot former President Donald Trump during a campaign rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday acted alone, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) said. The FBI is investigating the incident as a possible “domestic terrorism” act.
The gunman who was shot and killed by a sniper was identified as Thomas Matthew Crooks (20).
“At this stage of the investigation, it appears he was the only person accused, but we still have further investigation to do,” said Robert Wells, executive assistant director of the FBI’s national security branch.
He said the FBI was also investigating it as an attempted murder and a “possible domestic terrorist act.” He said the counterterrorism department and the criminal department were working together to determine the motive.
Trump was shot in the upper right ear, leaving his face bloodied. He is now safe and continuing with his schedule, which includes traveling to Milwaukee to attend the Republican National Convention, which will formally nominate him as the party’s presidential candidate against incumbent Joe Biden.
The FBI is leading the attempted murder investigation.
FBI Director Christopher Wray said, “The shooter may be dead, but the investigation is still ongoing. And, because of that, there’s not much we can say at this time.”
“What we saw yesterday was nothing less than an assault on democracy and our democratic process,” he told reporters at a news conference in Washington DC.
The investigation into the gunman at Donald Trump’s rally on Saturday has not yet revealed any mental health issues, threatening posts or other motives, according to an FBI official, but he cautioned it was still too early to tell.
According to the FBI, the shooter used an AR-style rifle with a 5.56 mm caliber, which is a common caliber for such weapons.
The New York Times said authorities were examining the gunman’s social media and other information to determine a motive for the attack.
Biden will address the nation from the Oval Office at 8 p.m. A campaign official told the daily that he will deliver a “powerful and necessary address to inform the nation about the horrific attack on Donald Trump and the need for every American to come together to not only condemn, but to end political violence in this country once and for all.”
Crooks had graduated two months ago with an associate’s degree in engineering science from the Community College of Allegheny County, school officials said in a statement, adding that they were “shocked and saddened by the horrific turn of events.”
“The attempted assassination of former President Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania, is a moment that will forever be remembered in history,” Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle said in a memo to her agents.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
