FBI sees ‘no definitive ideology’ for Trump shooter
In the month before the assassination attempt, the shooter searched online for information about Donald Trump, Joe Biden and both parties’ national conventions.
Six weeks after the assassination attempt against Donald Trump, the FBI still doesn’t know what motivated the shooter.
“Extensive analysis of the subject’s online search history as well as his specific online activity has provided us valuable insight into his mindset, but not a definitive motive,” Kevin Rojek, the head of the FBI’s Pittsburgh Field Office, told reporters Wednesday.
So far, he added, the FBI sees “no definitive ideology … either left-leaning or right-leaning” associated with the shooter, Thomas Crooks.
Rather, Crooks had “a sustained, detailed effort to plan an attack on some event” and considered multiple targets, according to Rojek. He became “hyper-focused” on Trump’s July 13 rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, after it was announced. Crooks fired eight shots at Trump from a rooftop that day, killing one person in the crowd, injuring two others and injuring Trump’s ear. Within seconds, a Secret Service sniper shot and killed Crooks.