FBI Continues Probe into Attack at Trump Rally, Interviews Scheduled with Former President

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has announced plans to interview former President Donald Trump in relation to the July 13 shooting during his campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. The interview is part of a detailed investigation into the events that led to an attempted assassination, which left Trump wounded and claimed multiple casualties, including a local firefighter.

Special Agent Kevin Rojek indicated that the interview with Trump is a routine procedure in such cases, aimed at gathering the victim's account of the incident. Trump, who suffered an ear injury during the attack, has not publicly disclosed details about the shooting from his perspective.

The suspect in the shooting, 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, was killed by a Secret Service sniper after he fired eight shots at the rally. Initial assessments by the FBI depict Crooks as a loner without any identified co-conspirators. Extensive interviews with those who knew Crooks, including his family, co-workers, and school affiliates, suggest an individual who was highly intelligent and gainfully employed, but with a limited social network centered around his immediate family.

Though Crooks's parents have denied any prior knowledge of their son’s intentions, the FBI has found their statements credible. There has been a notable discovery that Crooks showed an interest in historical assassination events and accessed information on violence and weaponry, including a search related to the Kennedy assassination.

Further examination of Crooks’s online activity revealed alarming searches for power plant layouts, mass shooting incidents, and information on explosives. Additionally, Crooks's potential fascination with political acts of violence was noted with his searches regarding the attempted assassination of the Slovakian prime minister earlier in the year.

The sequence of events, as outlined by Rojek, recounts that local law enforcement had identified Crooks as suspicious an hour prior to the assault. Crooks was observed by SWAT team members exhibiting behavior potentially indicative of planning an attack. Despite this, the tragic series of events unfolded, leading to the incident at approximately 6:08 pm.

The law enforcement response to the incident was swift, with a police officer encountering Crooks on the rooftop only three minutes before the shooting started. This encounter did not prevent the tragic outcome, which resulted in immediate modifications to the Secret Service with Director Kimberly Cheatle stepping down in acknowledgment of the agency’s failure to thwart the attack.

The investigation continues as FBI agents meticulously piece together the gunman's activities and motives. This high-profile case underscores the ongoing risk to public figures and the challenges faced by law enforcement in preemptively identifying and neutralizing such threats.