Republican presidential candidate and former U.S. President Donald Trump walks during the first day of the Republican National Convention (RNC) at the Feather Forum on July 15, 2024 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States.
Andrew Kelly | Reuters
Three days after a shooting at a campaign rally in western Pennsylvania, the motive of the 20-year-old gunman who tried to kill former President Donald Trump remains unclear.
Information analyzed from gunman Thomas Crooks’ cell phone did not help the FBI determine what led him to shoot Trump and other rally attendees multiple times on Saturday afternoon before being arrested by the Secret Service A sniper killed a senior law enforcement officer.
Authorities found more than a dozen guns when they searched Crooks’ home.
Two suspected IEDs were found in Crooks’ car near the rally, while a third suspected IED was found at his home.
A source told NBC News that a joint intelligence bulletin issued by the FBI and Department of Homeland Security warned of possible attacks by extremists in retaliation for the assassination attempt.
“The FBI and DHS remain concerned about the potential for follow-up or retaliatory violence following this attack, particularly given the number of individuals in some online communities who have threatened, encouraged, or mentioned violence in response to the assassination attempt,” according to the source. According to sources, the announcement said.
The same bulletin also confirmed that Crooks purchased 50 rounds of ammunition at a store in his hometown of Bethel Park on Saturday before driving to the rally.
The FBI spoke with more than 100 witnesses, Crooks’ family and friends, rally attendees and other law enforcement officials to try to uncover the steps the shooter took leading up to the shooting and his motives for doing so.
Meanwhile, the Secret Service tasked with protecting Trump continued to face intense criticism on Tuesday for failing to take precautions to prevent Crooks from climbing to a rooftop overlooking the rally with a rifle and shooting the former president, leaving him die.
The shooting occurred two days before the Republican National Convention convened in Milwaukee and formally nominated Trump as the Republican presidential candidate in the November election.
A U.S. official told NBC News that local police alerted Trump Secret Service personnel before the shooting, saying they were looking for suspicious persons in the rally area. The man, later identified as Crooks, was seen pacing near the magnetometer and exhibiting strange behavior at the event.
Secret Service Director Kimberly Chettle told ABC News that the shooting was “unacceptable… and it should never happen again.”
“The buck stops with me,” Chettle said. But she also said she would not resign over the incident.
Chittle said in an interview that local police in Butler Township, Pennsylvania, were responsible for protecting the building where Crooks was located, where witnesses saw Crooks yelling and getting on the roof.
“In this particular instance, we did have joint support to that particular location, and the Secret Service was responsible for the internal borders,” Chettle said. “Then we look to our local counterparts for outside assistance.”
Republican presidential candidate and former President Trump arrives for a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday, July 13, 2024.
Evan Vucci | Associated Press
“There are local police in that building – there are local police in the area who are responsible for the perimeter of the building,” she said.
Chatel told ABC the building had a sloping roof, which made it challenging for authorities to secure it, which was what led to the decision for police to station themselves inside the building.
The Secret Service released a statement early Tuesday after Chettle’s comments refuted the Secret Service’s accusation that local police failed to stop the gunman.
“Our agency relies on the support of brave police officers and local partners. We are deeply grateful for their unwavering commitment and bravery,” the Secret Service said. “Any suggestion otherwise is incorrect.”
“We are extremely grateful to the officers who put themselves at risk to find the shooter and to all of our local partners for their unwavering commitment,” the agency said. “Any suggestion that the Secret Service is blaming local law enforcement for Saturday’s incident is untrue. ”
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