After Trump shooting, questions swirl about what happened

By Zeynep Katre Oran

After the assassination attempt on former US President and Republican candidate Donald Trump, questions arose about suspect Thomas Matthew Crooks' actions before and during the attack.

On July 13, during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, Trump was attacked while addressing supporters from the podium. One attendee was killed, and two others were injured in the shooting.

The FBI labeled the incident an "assassination attempt." After investigation, they identified the assailant, who was killed at the scene, as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks.

Anadolu compiled the sequence of events based on information provided to the press by the FBI, Secret Service, local law enforcement, judicial authorities, and eyewitnesses.

-Suspect's actions prior to attack

Some information has emerged about Crooks' activities prior to the assassination attempt on Trump.

On the day of the incident, Crooks took a day off from work, telling his coworkers he would return on Sunday.

Further investigations revealed that Crooks had exhibited some "suspicious" activities in and around Pittsburgh, near the rally, prior to the attack.

One day before the attack, Crooks visited the shooting range he was a member of and practiced shooting. On the morning of Trump's rally, he purchased 50 rounds of ammunition from a gun store in the Bethel Park area and a five-meter ladder from a general store.

Crooks received several packages in the months leading up to the attack, some of which "possibly contained hazardous materials." However, it is not yet clear whether he used the ammunition or the ladder he purchased later that day in the attack.

-Seen at rally site before attack

Suspect Crooks was spotted around 5:30 pm (2130 GMT) observing the rally site. He drew attention while walking around with a backpack and using a golf rangefinder to take measurements before Trump took the stage.

Crooks's photo was shared among law enforcement and Secret Service officials due to "suspicious behavior," and his "suspicious situation" was reported via radio to higher authorities. Meanwhile, attendees noticed Crooks checking his phone "angrily and frequently" before he quickly disappeared from view.

The Secret Service reported that local police were informed about the suspect by witnesses but were unable to locate him.

Due to unclear details on how and when this information was relayed to the Secret Service, a communication breakdown between the police and the Secret Service is suspected.

Around 6:09 PM (11:30 PM GMT) local time, witnesses saw Crooks climbing onto the roof with a ladder and crawling with a rifle (registered to his father) and tried to alert the police by shouting and gestures to indicate his location.

As Crooks moved on the roof, a police officer tried to climb up but retreated when Crooks aimed his weapon at him.

Trump was shot in the ear at 6:11 pm (11:11 pm GMT), shortly after starting his speech at 6:03 PM ET (11:03 pm GMT).

Crooks was shot and killed during the gunfire. The Secret Service reported he was neutralized by snipers but didn't specify which team.

Two teams of snipers, each with two members, were positioned on the roofs of buildings on either side of the stage behind Trump.

Cameras captured one sniper on the roof flinch and then fire after spotting something.

- Crooks's skill and weapon

Trump said he avoided a headshot by slightly turning his head and leaning toward the microphone while looking at illegal immigration stats on screen.

He emphasized that without turning his head slightly to the right, he might have been killed. It's still unclear if he made this movement exactly when the bullet was fired.

Research on Crooks revealed that he had attempted to join his high school rifle team but was rejected due to being "weak in marksmanship."

The assumption that Crooks made the shot that injured Trump from 120 to 150 meters with an infantry rifle, rather than a sniper rifle, raises further questions about his "firearms skills."

Crooks's accurate shooting from a sloped roof with restricted visibility due to a tree is noteworthy.

Some claims suggest the tree should have blocked his view. A key question remains how Crooks smuggled the "AR-15" into the area, with ongoing investigation into when and where he hid the weapon.

- Secret service vs. local police responsibility

After the incident, the Secret Service faced criticism for "security lapses and delayed response."

While the Secret Service was responsible for areas close to Trump’s stage, local police were tasked with securing the outer perimeter, including the building from which Crooks accessed the roof.

According to Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle, the suspect managed to reach the roof of the building that local police were supposed to secure.

Local law enforcement claimed they were not given a security task by the Secret Service.

Meanwhile, Trump, despite being injured and collapsing, insisted on greeting the crowd and raising his fist as the Secret Service team helped him up.

During this time, his head and neck were partially exposed. The fact that the Secret Service did not fully cover the former president while not completely certain of the absence of further threats has drawn attention.

The Department of Homeland Security is now expected to assess the Secret Service's security process.

- Why Crooks?

Crooks was described by those who knew him as a "loner who didn't talk to anyone" and "a normal person who seemed to dislike talking to others."

His close acquaintances reported no "dangerous signs."

Teased for wearing hunting-style clothes in high school and occasionally bullied, Crooks was also considered intelligent, graduating with honors in engineering from a two-year college.

Although registered as a Republican, he donated $15 to the Democratic Party in 2021.

The FBI's investigation into the assassination attempt involved accessing Crooks's phone, examining his computer, home, and car, and interviewing over 100 people.

Images of Trump and President Joe Biden were found on his electronic devices, and internet searches about "bullet trajectory against the wind" were discovered.

According to the FBI, Crooks acted alone in the attack, but despite extensive examinations and interviews, the motive behind his attack on Trump remains unclear.