Twist in Trump assassination investigation: FBI is treating it as possible domestic terrorism

2024-07-15 07:44:00

The United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is also investigating Saturday’s attack on former president Donald Trump as a possible domestic terrorist attack, the Axios server writes, referring to a statement on Sunday from informed officials without name Investigators believe the 20-year-old shooter, Thomas Matthew Crooks, acted alone. Trump escaped the attack with an ear injury, but one participant in the event was killed and two others were injured. The shooter was killed by Secret Service agents.

Also, according to the AP agency, the FBI is investigating the incident as a “possible act of domestic terrorism.” However, due to the attacker’s unclear motive, conspiracy theories are spreading, the agency adds.

While searching the vehicle and Crooks’ home in Bethel Park, Pennsylvania “Suspicious devices” were found to be “sponsored pyrotechnics and are now being evaluated by the FBI lab,” Axios cites an email from investigators Sunday afternoon.

According to the FBI, the office’s criminal and counterterrorism division is cooperating to clarify the cause. According to Axios, the FBI confirmed that Crooks fired an AR-556 automatic rifle, a type of weapon used repeatedly by mass shooters in the United States, at the rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. The rifle was apparently purchased by his father, who is cooperating with investigators along with other family members.