The FBI has released the results of an analysis of the online activity of 20-year-old Thomas Crooks, who attempted to assassinate Donald Trump during a rally in Pennsylvania on July 13. Analysts determined that Crooks was not politically active or subscribed to any particular ideology, but had an interest in mass shootings and making explosive devices.
This was reported by The New York Times.
Thomas Matthew Crooks’ motives remain unclear. The FBI discovered that as early as 2019, when he was still a schoolboy, he had shown an interest in incidents of mass violence. Crooks sought information on the creation of explosives from fertilizers and in 2024 he actively followed public events, including Trump and Biden rallies, and was also interested in the location of the conventions of both parties.
During the investigation, it turned out that he studied the distance from which Harvey Oswald shot John Kennedy and saved the relevant photographs on his phone.
“His search history shows a person looking for an opportunity to carry out a spectacular attack that will attract everyone’s attention,” the statement said.
Crooks was also interested in treatments for clinical depression, which can indicate possible mental problems, although he never saw a psychiatrist or was registered with a psychiatrist.
Previously, Cursor wrote that, according to a Wall Street Journal report, Thomas Matthew Crooks, who is accused of attempting to assassinate former President Trump, flew a drone over the site of a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, several hours before the attack. This indicates careful preparation for his action.
