FBI investigation reveals details about assassination attempt against Trump

As the FBI's investigations into the attempted assassination of presidential candidate Donald Trump by 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, who was shot dead after firing at the magnate during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, United States, progress, new details have emerged shedding light on the attacker's movements before the fateful event. Authorities have conducted extensive work, including interviewing over 100 individuals in some way related to the attack, whether law enforcement personnel, attendees of Trump's rally, or eyewitnesses. Additionally, Crooks' phone has been accessed, and his car, found outside the event venue, as well as his family's house in the suburbs of Pittsburgh, have been inspected. One of the most concerning findings was the presence of two improvised explosive devices in Crooks' vehicle and one at his residence, along with the discovery of over a dozen weapons during a raid. It was also revealed that in the months leading up to the attack, Crooks received several packages, some of which were marked as potentially dangerous, according to an FBI and Department of Homeland Security bulletin cited by ABC News. The lack of information about the attacker has posed a challenge for law enforcement authorities. Experts like Gregg McCrary, a former FBI agent, have pointed out that individuals like Crooks, who do not have a prominent presence on social media or exhibit obvious warning signs, represent a latent and difficult-to-detect threat. According to information obtained by CNN, Crooks visited a shooting range the Friday before the attack and practiced with a firearm, also acquiring a ladder that he would later use to access the roof of a nearby building from where he shot at Trump. On Saturday, before the assassination attempt, Crooks borrowed an AR-15 style rifle from his father, which would ultimately be the weapon used in the attack. The Secret Service had identified the rooftop from where the attack took place as a potential security risk, but disagreements over who was responsible for protecting the building have arisen between local authorities and the Secret Service itself. The security of that location was crucial as it was adjacent to the venue where Trump was appearing. Despite efforts to reconstruct Crooks' profile, few details about his background have been uncovered. It is known that he was a registered Republican and had donated to a progressive electoral campaign related to the Democrats. He grew up in an affluent suburb of Pittsburgh, recently graduated in engineering sciences, and worked as a dietary assistant at a nursing home. Former classmates have expressed surprise at the news, describing Crooks as intelligent but reserved. Some mention that he did not show obvious signs of violent behavior, while others recall episodes of bullying towards him in school. The community where he grew up is dismayed by the revelation that a former student of theirs was involved in such a serious act. Amid the ongoing investigation, authorities continue to evaluate leads and try to understand the motives that led Crooks to carry out the attack on Trump. The complexity of the case and the lack of clear warning signs raise questions about how to prevent future acts of violence of this nature and the importance of addressing potential threats comprehensively.