FBI Has Released Photos of Trump Assassin’s Rifle, Backpack and Improvised Bombs

Thomas Crooks rifle Trump assassination
The disassembled rifle and the backpack Thomas Crooks used to transport it, as seen in a photo released by the FBI on Wednesday, Aug. 28, 2024. (Image: FBI)

The FBI on Wednesday released four new photos from its investigation into the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump at a Pennsylvania rally, as well as new information about what the bureau has learned about the shooter.

The FBI’s investigation into the shooting in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13 remains ongoing, and the bureau said it has still not identified a motive or evidence that the gunman, 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, worked with any others.

Kevin Rojek, head of the FBI’s Pittsburgh field office, told reporters during a briefing that investigators “believe [Crooks] engaged in detailed attack planning.”

Rojek said Crooks became “hyper-focused” on Trump’s campaign rally in Butler once it was announced, and the FBI found a “mixture of ideologies” associated with the gunman. Crooks was shot and killed by a Secret Service sniper after he fired eight bullets. Trump was wounded when he was shot in the ear, and two rally attendees were injured. One person was killed in the shooting.

“When this event was announced, the Trump rally was announced, early in July, he became hyper-focused on that specific event and looked at it as a target of opportunity,” Rojek said. …

As early as 2019, accounts tied to Crooks searched for explosive devices including “detonating cord,” “how to make a bomb from fertilizer” and “how do remote detonators work,” Rojek said.

 — Melissa Quinn, Robert Legare in FBI Releases New Photos and Details of Trump Shooting Probe, Finding Gunman Had “Mixture of Ideologies”

Thomas Crook rifle Trump assassination attempt
The rifle Thomas Crooks used in the assassination attempt of former President Donald Trump. It appears to be a standard DPMS rifle with a milspec upper on an A2 lower with a hand stop, a Magpul CTR stock, a Holosun AEMS red dot sight and 45-degree iron sights. (Image: FBI)
Two explosive devices found in Thomas Crooks' car, as seen in a photo taken by the Allegheny County Police Department and released by the FBI on Wednesday, Aug. 28, 2024.
Two improvised explosive devices found in the trunk of Thomas Crooks’ car (Image: FBI)
The air conditioning unit — the white box on the right — that the FBI says Thomas Crooks used to access the roof where he opened fire, as seen in a photo taken by FBI Pittsburgh and released on Wednesday, Aug. 28, 2024.
The air conditioning unit — the white box on the right — that the FBI says Thomas Crooks used to access the roof where he opened fire (Image: FBI)

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

3 thoughts on “FBI Has Released Photos of Trump Assassin’s Rifle, Backpack and Improvised Bombs”

  1. x marks the spot

    Very peculiar that he would have offset irons on a rifle equip with a 1x dot. Also there’s no way that AR even disassembled is fitting in that tiny bag.

  2. It’s obvious the feds have gone FERAL and the only way to treat rabid animals is to exterminate them. Remember, those demonrats are what drove the Civil War to protect their rights to own slaves. Subsequently, the demonrats established the KKK and if you are a person of color and vote Democrat, then it’s proof that when the demonrats decide people of color are less than and you vote for them, you prove their ridiculous postulation and you are voting for slave masters.

Scroll to Top