FBI Investigating Attempted Assassination of Former President Trump

The FBI has launched an investigation into the shooting of former President Trump, which they are treating as both an assassination attempt and a potential act of domestic terrorism.

BUTLER, PA – The FBI has announced that it is investigating the assassination attempt on former President Trump as a potential act of terrorism.

FBI Investigating Attempted Assassination of Former President Trump

In a press conference on Sunday, just one day after the attack, Robert Wells, the assistant director of the Counterterrorism Division at the FBI, stated that the agency is utilizing "every resource at our disposal."

"We have a 24/7 command post in Pittsburgh as well as here at FBI headquarters and we are dedicating every resource that we have at our disposal," he said.

FBI Investigating Attempted Assassination of Former President Trump

Wells emphasized that the FBI's primary objective is to determine the perpetrator's motive and identify any potential accomplices.

"Our number one goal here is to identify the motive of the subject and determine whether he had any other associates or anyone else that was involved at this point," Wells said.

FBI Investigating Attempted Assassination of Former President Trump

The FBI has identified the gunman as Thomas Matthew Crooks, a 20-year-old from Bethel Park, Pennsylvania. Wells stated that initial indications suggest Crooks may have acted alone, but the investigation is ongoing.

"It appears that he was a lone actor, but we still have more investigation to go," Wells said.

FBI Investigating Attempted Assassination of Former President Trump

Wells clarified that the shooting is being investigated as both an assassination attempt and a potential domestic terrorism act.

"We are investigating this as an assassination attempt, but also looking at it as a potential domestic terrorism act," Wells said. "Our counterterrorism division and our criminal division are working jointly to determine the motive."

FBI Investigating Attempted Assassination of Former President Trump

Kevin Rojek, the special agent in charge of the FBI's Pittsburgh Division, emphasized that there are no active public safety concerns at this time.

"At this time, the information that we have indicates that the shooter acted alone and that there are currently no public safety concerns at present," Rojek said. "We have not identified an ideology associated with the subject, but I want to remind everyone that we're still very early in this investigation."

Rojek stressed that the FBI is diligently investigating all aspects of the case, including Crooks' movements and activities leading up to the shooting.

"We are working hard to determine the sequence of events related to the subject and his movements, and the hours and days and weeks prior to the shooting, and we are following all investigative leads," he said.

Following the shooting, which occurred shortly after Trump took the stage at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday, the former president was rushed offstage and taken to a local hospital.

Trump was released from the hospital on Saturday evening after being examined. He is expected to attend the Republican National Committee meeting in Milwaukee this week, where he will receive the Republican Party's formal presidential nomination.