The FBI announced Sunday that it is investigating the assassination attempt against former President Trump as a possible act of terrorism.
At a press conference the day after the assassination attempt on the former president, Robert Wells, The FBI’s deputy director of its counterterrorism division said in a statement that the bureau was using “every resource available to us.”
“We have a 24-hour command center in Pittsburgh and here at FBI headquarters and we are bringing every resource available to us,” he said.
“Our primary goal is to determine the suspect’s motive and determine if he had any other associates or people involved at this point,” Wells said.
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Republican presidential candidate and former president Donald Trump raises his fist as he is hurriedly escorted off the stage during a rally on July 13, 2024 in Butler, Pennsylvania. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
An Allegheny County Police bomb squad vehicle drives toward the home of Thomas Matthew Crooks, the suspected shooter of former U.S. President Donald Trump, as the FBI investigates, in Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, on July 14, 2024. (Rebecca Droke/AFP via Getty Images)
Wells said, Police believe the shooter, identified as Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, acted alone.
“It appears that the perpetrator acted alone, but the investigation remains ongoing,” he said. “We are investigating this as an attempted assassination, but also as a possible act of domestic terrorism.”
“Our counter-terrorism and criminal divisions are working together to determine a motive,” he said.
Secret Service members and a crowd gather at a rally for former Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13, 2024. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
Kevin Rojek, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Pittsburgh Division, He said there are no public safety concerns at this time.
“Based on the information we have at this time, the shooter acted alone and there are no public safety concerns at this time,” Rojek said. “We have not identified any ideology associated with this incident, but I want to reassure everyone that this investigation is still in its early stages.”
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“We are working diligently to understand the suspect, his actions and the sequence of events in the hours, days and weeks leading up to the shooting and are pursuing every lead in our investigation,” he said.
Republican presidential candidate and former US President Donald Trump is assisted by security guards after shots rang out during a campaign rally at the Butler Farm Show in Butler, Pennsylvania, USA, on July 13, 2024. (Reuters/Brendan McDiarmid)
The shooting began around 6pm on Saturday, shortly after Trump took to the stage.
There were several loud bangs and a bloody Trump was escorted off the stage, but not before shaking his fist at the crowd.
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Following the shooting, the Trump campaign confirmed that the president was “safe.”
Trump was released from the hospital after undergoing testing on Saturday evening. He is due to attend the Republican National Committee in Milwaukee this week to accept the Republican Party’s formal presidential nomination.
