FBI has accessed the phone of Thomas Crooks, the alleged Trump shooter, and based on the preliminary analysis of the phone the info has not helped the FBI determine what Crooks’ motive was for shooting at Trump
More than 24 hours after the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump, the FBI announced Sunday that a motive for the 20-year-old shooter’s actions has not yet been identified.
Little is known about the shooter, Thomas Matthew Crooks, as the investigation is still in its early stages. Investigators are attempting to access his cellphone for more information.
The shooter acted alone, but the FBI is working to determine if there were any co-conspirators involved in the attack. "At this time, there are no current public safety concerns," the bureau said in a statement, adding that there were no indications that Crooks had mental health issues.
During a Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, Crooks fired several shots from a nearby rooftop, narrowly missing the former president. He killed one rally attendee and injured two others before being shot by at least one Secret Service sharpshooter.
Corey Comperatore, 50, a former chief of the Buffalo Township Volunteer Fire Company, was identified as the person killed. The two injured victims are in stable condition.
Trump, who ducked and emerged with a bloodied face, said he was shot in the ear and described feeling a “bullet ripping through the skin.” He arrived in Milwaukee on Sunday night for the Republican National Convention.
The FBI is investigating the incident "as an assassination attempt and potential domestic terrorism." There is currently no indication that the shooting was linked to any foreign actor.
The FBI has obtained Crooks' phone and has searched his home and vehicle. An official stated during a press call on Sunday that the phone has been sent to the FBI lab in Quantico, Virginia, to try to gain access to it.
The semiautomatic rifle used in the shooting was purchased legally, though it remains unclear who it was registered to. Initially, it was believed that the weapon had been bought by Crooks' father, but investigators are unsure how the shooter obtained it.
The FBI’s Pittsburgh Field Office is leading the investigation in coordination with local, state, and federal partners. They are appealing to the public for tips and have already received more than 2,600 tips. Crooks’ family is reportedly cooperating with investigators.