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FBI documents reveal new details on Thomas Crooks assassination attempt
Newly released FBI documents and task force reports have provided fresh details regarding Thomas Matthew Crooks, the individual who attempted to assassinate Donald Trump during a July 2024 rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
Investigations revealed that Crooks maintained a Snapchat account under the username 'tom_crooks19' and used the encrypted email service Mailfence. Additionally, records show he visited a gun range alone the day before the shooting. Witnesses also reported that Crooks made hateful comments about Trump prior to the event.
Further revelations indicate that Crooks' father, Matthew Crooks, had attempted to prevent his son from accessing firearms in May 2024. The task force also noted it was previously unaware that federal authorities had interviewed the shooter's family.
Controversy has also emerged regarding the cremation of Crooks' body, which was reportedly funded by an anonymous donor. Representative Clay Higgins described the cremation as an 'obstruction to any following investigative effort,' noting that the process destroyed potential evidence.
Entities
Butler, Pennsylvania · Donald Trump · FBI · Matthew Crooks · Secret Service · Thomas Matthew Crooks
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Crooks used an encrypted email service called Mailfence to log in multiple times between April 15, 2024, and July 8, 2024. joemiller.us
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Crooks visited a gun range alone one day before the assassination attempt, shooting targets at 100 yards. newsbusters.org
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Representative Clay Higgins characterized the cremation of the shooter as 'obstruction to any following investigative effort'. nypost.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] FBI agents located a Snapchat account belonging to Thomas Crooks with the username 'tom_crooks19'. joemiller.us
- [○ 1 SOURCE] An anonymous donor paid for the cremation of Thomas Crooks. nypost.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The task force was unaware that federal authorities had interviewed the family of Thomas Crooks. justthenews.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] A person attending the rally told federal investigators that Crooks made hateful comments about Trump. newsbusters.org
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Matthew Crooks, the shooter's father, attempted to prevent his son from accessing firearms in May 2024. justthenews.com