NEW DELHI: The gunman who attempted to assassinate Donald Trump at a Pennsylvania rally on July 14, was engaged in a “sustained, detailed effort” to target a major event before ultimately choosing to attack the former president and Republican presidential candidate, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) officials revealed on Thursday.
The FBI officials said that the shooter Thomas Crooks, 20, conducted over 60 searches for information about both Donald Trump and Democratic President Joe Biden, before registering for the Trump rally in early July.
‘Target of opportunity’
Kevin Rojek, FBI’s top agent in Pittsburgh, confirmed that Crooks carried out extensive research on potential targets, including events involving both Trump and Biden. A senior FBI official said that he identified the Pennsylvania rally as a “target of opportunity.”
1000 interviews conducted
The FBI conducted nearly 1,000 interviews during its investigation into the assassination attempt. Despite the thorough probe, the suspect’s motive remains unclear.
Mixed ideologies
An FBI official said that the suspected shooter exhibited a mix of ideologies and did not align strictly with either right-leaning or left-leaning views. Furthermore, Crooks had researched dates for both Democratic and Republican conventions, as well as Trump’s campaign schedule, starting as early as September 2023.