Investigation Underway After Attempted Assassination of Former President Donald Trump

 In the 48 hours leading up to the shooting of former President Donald Trump, 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks made a series of stops around his suburban Pittsburgh hometown that have since become key points in an ongoing investigation.

On Friday, Crooks visited a local shooting range where he was a member, practicing his marksmanship, according to a law enforcement official. The next morning, he purchased a five-foot ladder from Home Depot and 50 rounds of ammunition from a nearby gun store.

Driving his Hyundai Sonata, Crooks then traveled about an hour north to join thousands of attendees at Trump’s rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. He parked his car outside the rally venue, concealing an improvised explosive device in the trunk, connected to a transmitter he carried. Investigators believe he used the newly acquired ladder to climb a nearby building and open fire on the former president.

Authorities are still piecing together Crooks’ motives. Despite searching his phone, computer, search history, and interviewing family and friends, they have found no clear evidence pointing to political or ideological reasons for the attack. Instead, his digital footprint reveals a typical interest in computer coding and gaming.

The investigation also uncovered a remote control detonator on Crooks and a metal box of explosives wired to a receiver in his car. This suggests a potential plan to create a distraction during the shooting.

The AR-style rifle used in the attack was legally purchased by Crooks’ father, who owned over 20 firearms, all legally registered. Both father and son were members of Clairton Sportsmen’s Club, where they often practiced shooting.

The club has condemned the violence, and their lawyer, Rob Bootay, expressed the club’s shock and sadness over the incident. Similarly, local business owners from where Crooks purchased the ladder and ammunition have also expressed their condemnation of the attack and relief that President Trump was unharmed.

FBI investigators, who have successfully accessed Crooks’ cell phone, continue to search for a clear motive. His parents, who have been cooperative, described him as reclusive, with no apparent friends or political affiliations.

As the investigation unfolds, the community remains in shock, grappling with the actions of a young man whose motives remain an enigma.