Revealed: FBI releases first pics of weapon Thomas Crooks used to shoot Donald Trump
Thomas Matthew Crooks
The Federal Bureau of Investigation(FBI) on Wednesday (Aug 28) released the first photos of the weapon used by Thomas Crooks for the failed assassination attempt on former US president Donald Trump in Butler County, Pennsylvania, last month.
Crooks was killed by the US Secret Service (SS) after he fired multiple rounds from an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle.The former president was saved by mere inches as the bullet meant for his head, just grazed the top portion of his right ear.
The 20-year-old shooter fired from a building, only 130 metres away from the Republican leader despite being well inside the security perimeter of Secret Service, FBI and local law enforcement agencies.
The FBI revealed that Crooks broke down the semi-automaticDPMS DR-15 rifle into two pieces and carried it in a black SwissGear backpack as he made his way through the rally.
A separate photo showed the rifle fully assembled and positioned next to a ruler, which pegs its length at around 36 inches from stock to barrel.
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The premier security agency also revealed the trunk of Crooks' car where he had left two improvised explosive devices. The receiver of the explosives that enabled remote detonation was set in the “off” position. The bureau said the devices had “several problems with the way they were constructed.”
A photo of an air-conditioning unit outside the AGR building that Crooks used to climb and settle himself in position for the attack was also disclosed by the FBI.
"The subject accessed the roof by climbing on the tan machine on the far right side of the photo," FBI said.
During the briefing on Wednesday, FBI officials stated that the motive for the assassination attempt remains unknown as Crooks had a "mixture of ideologies". His social media footprint gave little to no inclination regarding his right-wing or left-wing ideologies, as per the FBI.
Trump shooting new bodycam video shows failed assassin Thomas Crooks in pool of blood on roof: WATCH
Notably, after the incident, it was revealed that Crooks was a registered Republican but had donated to Progressive Turnout Project - a liberal voter turnout group, through the Democratic donation platform ActBlue.
Previously, the FBI had confirmed that Crookssearched for Trump as well as Biden in the lead-up to the events of July 13.
(With inputs from agencies)