In a major revelation in the Donald Trump Assassination attempt, the Wall Street Journal has reported that the US authorities have found explosive devices in the car of the suspected shooter, Thomas Matthew Crooks, who tried to assassinate Former US President and Republican nominee, Donald Trump. The newspaper has made the shocking revelation citing unnamed sources.
According to the report, the shooter Thomas Matthew Crooks yesterday parked the car near the Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. Additionally, the Wall Street Journal and ABC News both have reported that Crooks used a gun that was purchased by his father.
The Wall Street Journal reported Crooks used a firearm that had been purchased by his father and explosive devices were found in the car he was driving, according to people familiar with the investigation.
Law enforcement agencies are trying to determine a motive behind the assassination attempt.
After surviving the assassination attempt, Donald Trump said that God “prevented the unthinkable from happening.” Trump campaign team reported that he is safe and Trump has himself confirmed that he will address the GOP this week.
Earlier, he thanked the US Secret Service and law enforcement for their rapid response to the shooting that just took place in Pennsylvania’s Butler. He also offered condolences to the family of a person who was killed at the rally and the person who was injured.
In his first account after surviving the assassination attempt, Trump recalled that the bullet fired at him “pierced” the upper part of his right ear. He said that he immediately knew something was wrong.
The assassination attempt, which was caught on camera, was carried out by a 20 year-old-man named Thomas Matthew Crooks of Bethel Park.
Following the attack, Thomas was neutralised by the snipers deployed for the protection of the ex-President.
He was armed with an AR-15-style semiautomatic rifle and had positioned himself on a manufacturing plant’s roof, as per his modus operandi. The plant was about 200 feet outside the zone of Donald Trump’s rally.
The assassin did not have any criminal history, as evident from the public court records of Pennsylvania.
According to the voter status record [pdf] of Pennsylvania, Thomas Matthew Crooks was registered as a Republican i.e. the same party as that of Donald Trump.
Interestingly, he had donated money through ‘ActBlue’, a Democratic party donation platform to a liberal group called ‘Progressive Turnout Project’.
The date of donation was January 20th 2021 i.e. the day Joe Biden took Office as the President of the United States. At that time, the attacker was 17 years old.
It is pertinent to note that this was the 16th such assassination attempt in US history. So far, assassination attempts have taken place on 10 out of 42 Presidents.
Meanwhile, concerns and questions have been raised around the alleged security lapse or delayed response when the incident unfolded. According to reports, Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle has been called to appear before a House committee on 22nd July.
Additionally, Attorney General Merrick Garland has assured to bring the full force of the Justice Department to investigate the shooting.
