Federal Bureau of investigation (FBI) have identified Matthew Crooks as the man who shot at Donald Trump at a rally in Pennsylvania.
In a statement, the FBI said: “The FBI has identified Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, as the subject involved in the assassination attempt of former president Donald Trump on July 13, in Butler, Pennsylvania.
“This remains an active and ongoing investigation, and anyone with information that may assist with the investigation is encouraged to submit photos or videos online at FBI.gov/butler or call 1-800-CALL-FBI.”
Investigators said Crooks had been “neutralized” and was now dead.
Video captured by a helicopter over the rally in Butler shows a man (Crooks) lying on a roof with what appears to be a rifle next to him.
A second video, taken at ground level by a member of the public, shows a man (Crooks) wearing camouflage-style clothing lying on top of the roof.
A person behind the camera says: “You can see the guy (Crooks) there. I think they hit him. The guy… he looks dead.”
The venue and social media images and the distance between Trump and the person on the roof is approximately 150m, Sky News reported.
Speaking at a news conference overnight, Lieutenant Colonel George Bivens said that officials “are absolutely not taking for granted that this was a lone wolf attack” and that law enforcement’s priority was to “identify the motive of the shooting” and “if anyone else was involved”.
FBI special agent Kevin Rojek said: “There was identification of suspicious packages around where the shooter (Crooks) was and so we deployed – in an abundance of caution – bomb assets to make sure those were cleared for investigators to move safely in the area.”
He told reporters that a motive had not been identified.
An earlier statement from the US Secret Service said: “During former President Trump’s campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania on the evening of July 13th at approximately 6.15pm, a suspected shooter fired multiple shots toward the stage from an elevated position outside of the rally venue.
“US Secret Service personnel neutralised the shooter, who is now deceased. US Secret Service quickly responded with protective measures and the former president is safe and being evaluated.
“One spectator was killed, two spectators were critically injured. The incident is currently under investigation and the Secret Service has formally notified the Federal Bureau of investigation.”
National security analyst Frank Figliuzzi told NBC that the “full panoply of the FBI will be involved” including hi-tech crime scene analysis.
But he explained that “more immediately, all of the social media and computer devices of this shooter, all the interviews of his co-workers, family, neighbours – all of that”.
He said: “His entire life history will be reconstructed rather rapidly and the goal here will be to see was anyone else involved, is this part of a larger conspiracy? Was there anything that could’ve been done to head this off or intervene?
“They’ll be looking at his weapon, where it came from, was it purchased legally or not? Was he trained as a sniper ever, in any profession that he may have held? And of course, what was his motive?”
Mr Figliuzzi added: “I caution people… don’t draw conclusions. We don’t know where this shooter (Crooks) really was coming from mentally. And that’s where the FBI will be going.
“One of the early things they need to rule out is terrorism. They need to rule out that this wasn’t party of an international terrorism plot. So, lots of things on the FBI’s plate in the coming days and weeks.”
The Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas confirmed his agency and the Secret Service are working with law enforcement partners to investigate the shooting.
He said they are “taking every possible measure” to ensure the safety of President Biden, former President Trump and their campaigns.
“Maintaining the security of the presidential candidates and their campaign events is one of our department’s most vital priorities,” he said.
And Speaker of the House Mike Johnson posted on X: “The American people deserve to know the truth. We will have Secret Service director Kimberly Cheatle and other appropriate officials from DHS and the FBI appear for a hearing before our committees.”
