The search history of Thomas Matthew Crooks, the 20-year-old gunman identified as the man who attempted to assassinate former President Trump at a rally outside Pittsburgh last weekend, includes photos of Presidents Trump and Biden.
Crooks, who died after opening fire at the campaign event, was investigating Trump’s upcoming appearance and the upcoming Democratic National Convention, FBI officials told lawmakers. The New York Times first reported the news.
The FBI disclosed the information in a closed-door briefing for lawmakers and the head of the Secret Service, offering the best glimpse yet into what Crooks was thinking before the gunfire that grazed the former president’s ear.
The shooter, from Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, was a registered Republican but had no criminal record or public political affiliation.
Authorities have accessed his search history but have not determined a motive or found any evidence of conspiracy or ties to foreign activity.
The Times noted that the call with FBI officials was tense as members of both houses of Congress demanded an explanation for the assassination attempt.
Officials said there were some indications that Crooks may have been suffering from depression, noting that he had searched for “major depressive disorder,” the person who answered the call and another person with knowledge of the situation told The Times.
Police added that the attacker was close to his parents but they were not heavily involved in his daily life. Crooks worked in a care home.
The Times also found that Trump had received multiple packages over the past few months, some of which were marked “hazardous.” Authorities said they had found three explosives linked to Trump: one at Trump’s home and two in a car parked near one of his rallies.
While the investigation did not find a political motive, FBI officials said Crooks appeared to be interested in those in power, and he was also investigating FBI Director Christopher Wray, Attorney General Merrick Garland and members of the British royal family.
Still, the lack of political or ideological information is “notable” because most people who commit such acts can be traced back to them, the official told lawmakers.
CNN reported: Officials briefed on the case have suggested Crooks was looking to carry out a mass shooting and that the location and timing of the Trump rally presented the perfect opportunity.
The outlet also noted that investigators had found an arrest photo of Ethan Crumbley, who killed four classmates in a shooting in Michigan in 2021. Investigators are also looking into the convictions of Crumbley and his parents, marking the first time a shooter’s parents have been charged.
According to CNN, on the day of the rally, Crooks was searching details of Trump’s rally and a local gun shop where he purchased ammunition that day.
Investigators believe the man visited the rally a week before and again the morning before it began, then returned home, pulled out his father’s AR-15 and carried out another shooting.
The Secret Service continues to face scrutiny over the incident and calls for its director, Kimberly Cheatle, to resign. The shooting remains under investigation.
