The FBI announced on Monday that they have successfully gained access to the phone of Thomas Matthew Crooks, the man suspected of shooting former President Trump at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania on Saturday. The phone could potentially provide critical information about the motive behind the shooting.
Crooks climbed a building adjacent to where Trump was speaking and opened fire on the former president, resulting in a bullet grazing Trump’s ear. The Secret Service quickly responded by shooting and killing Crooks. Additionally, a man in the crowd was killed and two others critically injured.
The FBI also conducted a search of Crooks’ vehicle and home, revealing the presence of bomb-making materials. The discovery has raised concerns among members of Congress about the Secret Service’s security protocols.
Rep. Cory Mills (R-Fla.) was critical of the agency’s handling of the situation, saying, “This is massive negligence, to the point of me speculating on what was intentional and what wasn’t.”
The suspect fired an AR-style rifle from an elevated position outside the rally venue, with the roof being less than 150 meters away from where Trump was speaking. The incident has prompted President Biden to order a review of security protocols at the rally.
Following the shooting, Biden and Trump both released messages of unity, with Trump expressing gratitude to God for preventing a tragedy.
