FBI Identifies Shooter of Trump Assassination Attempt
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During a campaign rally near Butler, Pennsylvania, Donald Trump survived an assassination attempt on Saturday night. A shooter opened fire, injuring Trump and prompting him to be quickly taken offstage. However, he later assured everyone that he was “fine.” The suspected shooter and a rally attendee were killed, and two other attendees were critically injured, according to the Secret Service. The shooter was identified as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, but authorities have not yet determined a motive for the shooting.
The FBI and Pennsylvania state law enforcement officials are collaborating on what they have termed an active investigation. During a campaign rally near Butler, Pennsylvania, Donald Trump survived an assassination attempt on Saturday night. A shooter opened fire, injuring Trump and prompting him to be quickly taken offstage. However, he later assured everyone that he was “fine.”
The suspected shooter and a rally attendee were killed, and two other attendees were critically injured, according to the Secret Service. The shooter was identified as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, but authorities have not yet determined a motive for the shooting. The FBI and Pennsylvania state law enforcement officials are collaborating on what they have termed an active investigation.
During a campaign rally near Butler, Pennsylvania, Donald Trump survived an assassination attempt on Saturday night. A shooter opened fire, injuring Trump and prompting him to be quickly taken offstage. However, he later assured everyone that he was “fine.” The suspected shooter and a rally attendee were killed, and two other attendees were critically injured, according to the Secret Service.
The shooter was identified as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, but authorities have not yet determined a motive for the shooting. Both the FBI and Pennsylvania state law enforcement officials are collaborating on what they have termed an active investigation. During a campaign rally near Butler, Pennsylvania, Donald Trump survived an assassination attempt on Saturday night. A shooter opened fire, injuring Trump and prompting him to be quickly taken offstage. However, he later assured everyone that he was “fine.”
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The suspected shooter and a rally attendee were killed, and two other attendees were critically injured, according to the Secret Service. The shooter was identified as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, but authorities have not yet determined a motive for the shooting. Both the FBI and Pennsylvania state law enforcement officials are collaborating on what they have termed an active investigation.
Here’s what we know about the shooting:
Is Trump OK?
Trump was injured in the attack — the video showed blood streaming from his right ear immediately afterward — and he was rushed to a nearby hospital. His campaign released a statement shortly afterward saying he was “fine.”
On Truth Social, Trump’s social media platform, the former president later said he was “shot with a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear. I knew immediately that something was wrong in that I heard a whizzing sound, and shots, and immediately felt the bullet ripping through the skin. Much bleeding took place, so I realized then what was happening.”
According to Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, by Saturday night, Trump had left the Butler, Pa., area. He still plans to attend the Republican National Convention, which begins Monday, according to a statement released after the shooting.
FBI Identifies Shooter of Trump Assassination Attempt: What happened?
A gunman opened fire during Trump’s rally Saturday night near Butler, Pa., at approximately 6:15 p.m., shortly after the former president took the stage.
In the video of the incident, multiple popping sounds could be heard before Trump grabbed his right ear. Secret Service agents quickly rushed the stage, protectively collapsing on top of Trump. After a few moments, someone is heard saying “Shooter down,” and the Secret Service lets Trump up. The presumptive Republican presidential nominee was seen visibly bleeding from the area around his right ear and could be heard asking Secret Service agents to get his shoes as they started to whisk him away to his convoy. Trump also raised his fist defiantly to the crowd.
In a news conference late Saturday night, Pittsburgh Special Agent in Charge Kevin Rojek labeled the attack an “assassination attempt.”
The Secret Service, which is charged with protecting presidents, former presidents, and candidates for the office, described the incident as:
Was anyone else injured?
Yes, the alleged gunman was killed by the Secret Service. A male audience member died in the attack, and two other male attendees suffered critical injuries, according to the Secret Service and Pennsylvania state authorities.
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FBI Identifies Shooter of Trump : What do we know about the shooter?
The FBI released a statement early Sunday morning identifying the shooter:
“The FBI has identified Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, as the subject involved in the assassination attempt of former President Donald Trump on July 13, in Butler, Pennsylvania. This remains an active and ongoing investigation, and anyone with information that may assist with the investigation is encouraged to submit photos or videos online at FBI.gov/butler or call 1-800-CALL-FBI.”
Is there still a danger to the public?
While the investigation is ongoing, Pennsylvania State Police Lt. Col. George Bivens said there is “no reason to believe that there is any other existing threat out there.” Investigators said late Saturday that they will continue to try and determine whether the suspect acted alone.
What happens next?
FBI and Pennsylvania officials will continue their investigation jointly, with the FBI leading up the inquiry and local authorities handling the homicide and injuries to the rally attendees.
Rojek said they continue to pursue a motive for the shooting, as well. Officials labeled the location an “active crime scene.”
Law enforcement is also encouraging anyone at the rally or anyone who has any information about the incident to come forward.
As for Trump, the Republican National Convention begins Monday in Milwaukee where he will be nominated as the party’s presidential nominee for a third time. Trump said Saturday night that after the shooting he would still attend the convention.