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ABC News reported that Crooks had searched for images of both former President Trump and President Joe Biden on his phone. He also looked up the dates of Trump’s rally in Butler and the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. Investigators are still trying to determine Crooks’ motivation, as his phone search history did not reveal clear political affiliations.
Top law enforcement officials, including the FBI director, his deputy, and the head of the Secret Service, briefed lawmakers on the timeline of the events. They revealed that Crooks was identified as a person of interest 62 minutes before the shooting.
Here’s the timeline as reported by ABC News:
- 5:10 p.m.: Crooks was first identified as a person of interest.
- 5:30 p.m.: Crooks was spotted with a rangefinder.
- 5:52 p.m.: The Secret Service spotted Crooks on the roof.
- 6:02 p.m.: Trump took the stage.
- 6:12 p.m.: Crooks fired his first shots.
According to law enforcement officials, “From the time Crooks fired his first shot to the gunman being killed, it was just 26 seconds. Eleven seconds after the first shot, Secret Service countersnipers acquired their target — and 15 seconds after that, Crooks was shot dead,” ABC News reported.
Further details emerged about Crooks’ actions leading up to the attack. ABC News added, “Briefers told lawmakers that Crooks purchased an ammunition box at a Walmart on July 5, two days after the rally was announced. On July 13, he went to the rally site in the morning, was there for an hour, and then left. He came back sometime in the early 5 p.m. hour and tried to enter the security perimeter.”
ABC News also provided analysis from their visual verification team, revealing that one of the two sniper teams posted atop buildings repositioned just before the shooting. “At 6:09 p.m., three minutes before the first gunshots rang out, the sniper team on the roof of the building south of the stage, the furthest away from the shooter’s location, repositioned, turning from the south to the north in the direction of the shooter’s location,” the report stated.
Carry 46 rounds concealed? (comfortably)
Despite thorough investigations, officials have yet to determine the motive behind the assassination attempt. They found no ideological connections between Crooks and either Biden or Trump. Law enforcement officials briefed lawmakers, stating they do not believe Crooks’ parents have significant political leanings, based on their interviews.
The FBI reported to legislators that they have conducted 200 interviews as part of the ongoing investigation. They detailed how Crooks managed to climb an air conditioner accessible from the ground and pull himself up to the top of a building beyond the security cordon, providing him a clear shot at Trump. He was able to approach the roof of the nearby American Glass Research (AGR) building, according to sources.
Former President Trump stated that he was shot in the right ear. Additionally, three rally attendees were shot during the incident. Among them was 50-year-old volunteer firefighter Corey Comperatore, who tragically died while shielding his family from the gunfire. The other two rally participants are reported to be in stable condition.
This shocking incident has raised numerous questions about the preparedness and response of the Secret Service, urging a reevaluation of their protocols to prevent such lapses in the future.
