Shooter Allegedly Searched About Biden, Too

Investigators say Trump gunman looked up 'depressive disorder' as well
By Newser Editors,  Newser Staff
Posted Jul 18, 2024 11:08 AM CDT
Updated Jul 18, 2024 1:54 PM CDT
Shooter's Online Warning: 'July 13 Will Be My Premiere'
Donald Trump speaks at his rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday before the shooting.   (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

The gunman who shot Donald Trump appears to have conducted online searches about both Trump and President Biden before last weekend's shooting, reports CNN and CBS News. Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, searched for dates of the Democratic National Convention as well as future Trump events, per CNN. He also conducted searches about FBI chief Christopher Wray, Attorney General Merrick Garland, members of the British royal family, and "depressive disorder," per CBS and Fox News. The bottom line, however, is that investigators still have not uncovered a motive.

  • Fake account: The FBI briefed senators Wednesday about all of the above, and they also told senators they had uncovered a social media account of the shooter telling people to look for his "premiere" on July 13, reports CNN. However, the agency has since determined the account was fake, according to the outlet.

  • Videos, photos: Meanwhile, the New York Times has put together an extensive account with videos and photos of how Secret Service and law enforcement failed to stop the shooter despite eyewitness sightings of him on a nearby roof minutes before the shots began.
  • Early flags: In a separate story, the Times notes that law enforcement flagged the lurking shooter as suspicious an hour before the assault and informed Secret Service. At one point, an officer even took a photo of the then-unarmed Crooks. However, everybody then lost track of him.
This file was updated with new developments, including the determination that an online account attributed to the shooter was fake. (More Trump rally shooting stories.)

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