FBI reveals how would-be assassin Thomas Crooks accessed a rooftop for an assassination attempt on Trump, leaving one dead and three injured. Investigators continue to examine motive and potential accomplices.
On July 13, 2024, a 20-year-old man named Thomas Crooks made an assassination attempt against former President Trump at his rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. The FBI has now shared new details regarding their investigation, shedding light on Crooks' movements and actions before and during the attack.
According to the FBI, Crooks accessed the roof of a building near the rally site by climbing up HVAC equipment and piping. He then traversed multiple rooftops before finding his shooting position on top of a building owned by American Glass Research (AGR), located about 150 yards from where Trump spoke.
FBI Unveils Assassination Attempt Investigation Details: Trump Shooter Climbed HVAC Pipes to Gain Position
Although Crooks had purchased a ladder hours before the attempt, investigators confirmed that he left it at his residence and did not use it at the rally.
The FBI has examined over 2,100 tips related to the assassination attempt since it occurred. Leading up to the shooting, Crooks apparently conducted internet searches for current and former presidents. He signed up for the event three days after the campaign announced it and researched the distance between Lee Henry Oswald and President John F. Kennedy when Kennedy was assassinated in 1963.
FBI Unveils Assassination Attempt Investigation Details: Trump Shooter Climbed HVAC Pipes to Gain Position
Crooks' interest in firearms began around 2023, when he started taking shooting lessons. In the spring of 2023, he made 25 online firearms purchases using an alias. Additionally, he made six chemical precursor-related purchases online for materials used to create explosive devices, also using aliases.
The AR-15-style rifle Crooks used at the rally was legally purchased by his father and legally transferred to him. Crooks also legally purchased 50 rounds of ammunition from a local gun store on the morning of the rally.
FBI Unveils Assassination Attempt Investigation Details: Trump Shooter Climbed HVAC Pipes to Gain Position
On the day of the rally, Crooks parked his vehicle and flew a drone near the rally site. He was also present at the rally site for about 70 minutes the morning of the attempt.
It remains unclear how Crooks evaded security despite being noticed by law enforcement over an hour before the shooting. The FBI has stated that more than 300 agents and staff are working around the clock to gather facts and create a timeline of Crooks' actions.
FBI Unveils Assassination Attempt Investigation Details: Trump Shooter Climbed HVAC Pipes to Gain Position
Investigators located eight rounds on the roof where Crooks fired from. Law enforcement first reported seeing a suspicious person near the rally site about an hour and one minute before Crooks began shooting. Local law enforcement notified command about the suspicious person, and it was confirmed that the Secret Service was aware of his presence.
Eleven minutes after Trump took the podium, Crooks fired multiple rounds, killing 50-year-old Corey Comperatore and seriously wounding 57-year-old David Dutch and 74-year-old James Copenhaver. FBI officials are still working to determine Crooks' motive and whether he planned with any coconspirators.
FBI Unveils Assassination Attempt Investigation Details: Trump Shooter Climbed HVAC Pipes to Gain Position
The FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit is working to build a more comprehensive profile of Crooks. Investigators have interviewed individuals who knew or interacted with him, including family members, coworkers, former teachers, and classmates. Experts from the Behavioral Analysis Unit are offering their expertise to develop a profile of Crooks.
According to the FBI, Crooks was highly intelligent, attended college, and maintained steady employment, but he was also described as a "loner" with limited social interactions. Trump is expected to return to Butler for another rally in the future, but the date has not yet been announced.
FBI Unveils Assassination Attempt Investigation Details: Trump Shooter Climbed HVAC Pipes to Gain Position
