FBI Releases Redacted Documents on Assassination Attempt

The FBI has released heavily redacted documents that reveal Thomas Matthew Crooks, who is accused of attempting to assassinate former President Donald Trump, communicated via email with deputies from the Butler County sheriff’s office prior to a July 13, 2024, incident.

As a result of judicial scrutiny, numerous documents were made public through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit. These documents indicate that Crooks exchanged two emails with an aide before the attempted assassination in Butler, Pennsylvania. The redacted information is part of an FBI electronic communication dated July 16, 2024, described as “Disc of Five Butler County Sheriff’s Office Deputies,” summarizing interviews conducted with officers from the department. The file indicates that agents reviewed emails and found only those two messages, although the specific contents remain unclear, as they’ve been redacted. An unnamed deputy mentioned he had no direct interaction with Crooks.

Additionally, other released documents provide insight into the events following Crooks’ shooting. First responders reported seeing SWAT members retrieve a “remote device” and a cellphone from his possession. They described that the officers discovered a gray remote with numeric buttons and an antenna, alongside the phone.

Responders also recalled there was some concern about a potential threat below the location where Crooks was firing, as they mentioned a dog had alerted at the building. In the midst of evacuations, Crooks’ body was left on the roof.