Fatal Shooting at Trump Rally in Butler, Pennsylvania
Butler, Pennsylvania— We are learning more about the man suspected of a shooting at a former President Donald Trump campaign rally in Butler, Pa., on Saturday that killed one spectator and seriously injured two others, and caused chaos at the event. The FBI has identified Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, of Bethel, Pennsylvania, as a suspect in the assassination attempt. The suspect was shot and killed by a Secret Service countersniper, officials said.
Initial indications are that the shooter was a lone wolf, but the situation is unstable, and the agency is still working to assess a motive for the shooting, according to law enforcement sources. Officials said at a news conference Saturday night that they needed to conduct DNA testing because the suspected shooter did not have identification. “It’s a matter of doing biometric confirmation, so, for example, the person has no identifying information, so we’re now looking at photos and trying to run his DNA and get biometric confirmation,” said FBI Pittsburgh Special Agent in Charge Kevin Rojack.
Assassination Attempt at Trump Rally
Hours after the shooting, Trump issued a statement on “The Truth Society” saying he was “shot by a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear.” He wrote in the post: “I immediately knew something was wrong because I heard a swishing sound and a gunshot and immediately felt the bullet tearing the skin. There was a lot of bleeding so I realized what was going on.” A Trump spokesman said the president had been tested and everything was fine.
Officials briefed on the investigation told ABC News that the shooting, a shocking development on the eve of the Republican National Convention, is being investigated as an assassination attempt, with live rounds apparently fired from outside a secure perimeter. The incident is being investigated by the Department of Justice’s National Security Division and the FBI under the supervision of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Pittsburgh, and is being conducted amid a heightened threat environment.
Response and Investigation
The Secret Service said in a statement that a gunman “fired multiple rounds toward the stage from an elevated position outside the rally venue” before agents “subdued the gunman, who is now deceased.” Law enforcement officials are conducting a thorough investigation to determine the motives behind the shooting and to ensure the safety of all individuals involved.
As more details emerge, the nation waits with bated breath to understand the circumstances surrounding the tragic events that unfolded at the Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. Stay tuned for updates on this developing story.
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