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More details are emerging in the aftermath of an assassination attempt on former president Donald Trump at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania over the weekend. Law enforcement continue to investigate 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, who was killed on Saturday, in search of a motive behind the shooting and to uncover how the incident could have occurred.
In an update from the Federal Bureau of Investigation on Monday, a statement revealed that specialists have gained access to Crooks’ phone and “they continue to analyze his electronic devices.” The FBI’s statement added that the search of Crooks’ residence and vehicle were completed. Nearly 100 interviews of law enforcement personnel, event attendees and other witnesses were conducted.
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The FBI is still combing through photos and videos taken at the scene.
Crooks went to a shooting range the day before the assassination attempt
Details of what Crooks did leading up to the assassination attempt has been outlined by law enforcement. On July 12, he practiced firing at a shooting range where he was a member, a law enforcement official anonymously told CNN. The morning of the rally, he bought a ladder from Home Depot and 50 rounds of ammunition from gun store Allegheny Arms and Gun Works in Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, the news network reported.
Crooks had a remote control detonator with him
After his errands, Crooks drove about an hour north to get to the rally. There was an “improvised explosive device” in the trunk of his car, a Hyundai Sonata, an unidentified official told CNN. The device was connected to a receiver using wires, and Crooks had a remote control detonator with him.
“That suggests the gunman may have been planning to set off an explosion remotely, and investigators are considering the theory that he may have been planning a distraction during the shooting,” per CNN
YouTuber ‘shocked’ that Crooks was wearing his merch
During the assassination attempt, Crooks was reportedly wearing a t-shirt saying “Demolition Ranch” on it — the name of a popular, Texas-based YouTube channel about firearms. The channel has more than 11 million subscribers.
Crooks was also photographed in the t-shirt at an ammunition store, per CNN.
In a video posted on Monday entitled “The Trump Shooter was Wearing My Shirt…,” the channel’s founder Matt Carriker said he was sorry to the family of the man killed on Saturday and was praying for a pain-free, speedy recovery for the injured victims.
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“We were shocked and confused to find this out,” he said. “The shooter who tried to assassinate Trump was wearing merch from my channel, was wearing a Demolition Ranch t-shirt. And that sucked to see that. That was rough.”
He said he doesn’t vet the people who purchase merchandise, as it would be “impossible” but that he would like to “keep people like that” (referring to Crooks) from buying or being associated with the brand.
“To see my name next to the shooter’s name, it sucks. I wish we could keep that from happening,” he said. “This channel is not about violence. This channel will never be. We never would condone that at all.”
He said he did not know Crooks and had never met him.
As of Tuesday morning, the video has been viewed almost 4 million times.
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