The motive behind the attack on Donald Trump remained unclear two days after the incident. The FBI was not able to identify the suspect’s ideology or why he targeted the president.
The agency took over the investigation as the incident overshadowed the former president’s rematch with Joe Biden.
The US Secret Service, which protects presidents and former leaders, on Monday defended its actions following the incident.
It was criticized for failing to detect the gunman, who was able to shoot Trump in the right ear. A statement by the agency’s director said that its agents and officers were able to quickly respond to the situation.
Due to the incident, Biden ordered an independent investigation to examine the circumstances surrounding the gunman’s attack on Trump at a campaign event in Pennsylvania.
Despite the massive security detail deployed by the Secret Service, the gunman was still able to shoot at the president. Details about the suspect, who was identified as Thomas Crooks, were still unclear.
Crooks was a young man who was working as an entry-level employee in Pennsylvania.
He grew up in Bethel Park, and his high school guidance counselor said he was respectful and didn’t seem like he was politically motivated.
According to the FBI, his social media page did not contain disturbing content.
Investigators said Crooks was alone when he carried out the attack, and they were not able to determine a motive.
He is among a number of recent high-profile mass shooters who attacked churches, schools, and parades. Crooks almost killed the candidate for president, which has not happened in decades.
Trump spent the day in Milwaukee, where he made final preparations for this week’s Republican National Convention.
He showed both defiance and reflective behavior. He pumped his fist multiple times in the air as he spoke.
After stepping off his plane, Trump shouted, “We’ll fight!” as he made his way down the stairs. In an interview, he said that the incident had been a sobering experience.
He noted that he was able to escape the attack because he was focused on the people around him.
According to the New York Post, Trump said that he wanted to try and unite the country.
Trump said that he doesn’t think that the country will unite. On Saturday, Crooks was able slip past the security at the event in Butler, Pennsylvania, and entered the area where Trump was speaking. He took out his AR-15 rifle and started shooting. Crooks’ father purchased the gun.
The gunman killed a man and wounded two other people. According to officials, a suspicious device was found in Crooks’ vehicle, which was then inspected by bomb technicians.
Crooks, who was from a nearby town, was a registered Republican and would have been able to vote in the upcoming presidential election.
Public records show that Crooks’ parents are both registered Democrats. He was 17 when he gave $15 to a political group as a teenager.
Crooks worked as a dietary aide during the time of the shooting. The administrator of the nursing home where he had worked said that he was a regular employee.
The staff of the nursing home where Crooks worked is shocked and saddened by his involvement.
He had passed his background check and was a regular employee, according to the facility’s administrator.
Two years ago, he graduated from high school. Crooks’ classmates said that he didn’t seem like a political type.
According to one of Crooks’ classmates, he was a smart kid who enjoyed playing video games and building computers.
Although Crooks had a few friends, he was quiet and reserved. Jim Knapp, who was the school’s counselor until 2022, described him as respectful and quiet.
Principal Rick Knapp said that Crooks was never a needy kid, and he rarely interacted with him.
He would often eat lunch by himself in the cafeteria. Knapp said that other students would often ask if they could join Crooks.
Knapp also said that Crooks never seemed like a political person.
He noted that other students would sometimes wear Biden or Trump clothes, and he didn’t recall him ever getting in trouble at school.
People near Crooks’ home expressed shock and disbelief at how an assassination attempt was linked to him.
People in the area where Crooks lived said that they were shocked and surprised by how close he was to their homes.
They noted that this area was a blue-collar community. The officials noted that a suspicious device was found in Crooks’ car, which was then inspected by bomb technicians.
