In a shocking revelation, FBI Director Christopher Wray disclosed that the 20-year-old gunman who tried to assassinate Donald Trump at a campaign rally flew a drone over the rally area approximately two hours before the former US president began his speech.
During his testimony before a congressional committee, Wray mentioned that the investigation into the shooting on July 13 had not uncovered a motive for the shooter, Thomas Matthew Crooks.
Crooks, armed with an AR-style assault rifle, attacked Trump as he was addressing the campaign event in Butler, Pennsylvania, leading to his swift elimination by a Secret Service sniper within seconds of the first shots being fired.
Some consequences of the attack included Trump sustaining an ear injury, two rally attendees suffering serious injuries, and the unfortunate death of a 50-year-old Pennsylvania firefighter.
Following the tragic incident, US Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle resigned, accepting the agency’s failure to prevent the assassination attempt.
Wray detailed that Crooks operated a drone over the rally location for about 11 minutes, observed between 3:50 pm and 4:00 pm, nearly 200 yards away from the stage where Trump was slated to speak. The drone and its controller were found in Crooks’ car.
Additionally, the discovery of two “relatively crude” explosive devices in Crooks’ vehicle and another at his residence raised concerns. Wray noted that these devices had remote detonation capabilities, and the gunman possessed a transmitter during the incident.
While investigating the shooter’s actions, Wray revealed that eight cartridges were retrieved from the rooftop where Crooks fired his shots.
When questioned about Crooks’ motive, Wray stated that it remains unclear, adding that the FBI is vigorously pursuing leads to unravel this crucial aspect.
Wray mentioned that the shooter displayed an intense interest in former President Trump and the rally starting around July 6, with searches related to public figures and a specific interest in the proximity between Lee Harvey Oswald and President John F. Kennedy.
Currently, there is no evidence suggesting Crooks had any collaborators or co-conspirators, emphasized the FBI chief.
AFP