Trump Assassination Attempt Probed by FBI as ‘Potential Domestic Terrorism’
The feds are also working to establish if the shooter had any co-conspirators.
Anna Moneymaker/Getty
The attempted assassination of Donald Trump is being investigated as “potential domestic terrorism,” the FBI said Sunday, as law enforcement searches for answers about what motivated the attempt on the life of the former American president.
The shooting at the presumptive GOP nominee’s rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, left one rally attendee dead and another two injured, while Trump himself was left bloodied after suffering a wound to his ear. The shooter, identified as 20-year-old Thomas Crooks, was killed by Secret Service snipers.
In an update on its investigation Sunday, the FBI said early inquiries suggest the shooter acted alone, but the bureau is working to establish “if there were any co-conspirators associated with this attack.” It added that no motive has yet been identified, but that efforts are underway to “determine the sequence of events and the shooter’s movements prior to the shooting.”
“We have also obtained the shooter’s telephone for examination,” the FBI said. The update said suspicious “devices” found in the gunman’s home and vehicle “have been rendered safe by bomb technicians and are being evaluated at the FBI Laboratory.”
The shooter was not known to the FBI before the attack, the bureau said, and the gun involved was purchased legally.
Get the best of The Beast delivered right to your inbox
By clicking “SUBSCRIBE” you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
While Trump survived the attempted assassination, 50-year-old rally attendee Corey Comperatore was killed in the crossfire. The former fire chief died while trying to shield his daughter, she said. Attendees David Dutch, 57, and James Copenhaver, 74, were also shot in the attack, according to the Pennsylvania State Police, describing both men’s condition as “stable” on Sunday.
See more of our coverage in your search results.
Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast here.
Register below to read this article for free or subscribe
to unlock unlimited access to The Daily Beast.
Monthly
$1
First month then $5.99/month
Annual
$35
First year then $59.99/year
Premium
$79
First year then $119.99/year
*Substack access provided by the next business day, using your subscription email. Choosing the Premium plan constitutes your permission to share your subscription email with Substack and your agreement to Substack’s Privacy Policy.
Already have an account? Sign In
Looks like you already have a subscription!
You're all set!
Thanks for subscribing.