FBI Director Christopher Wray revealed that Thomas Crooks, the man who nearly assassinated former President Donald Trump at a rally in Pennsylvania, made a disturbing Google search just a week before the attack.
During a hearing before the House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday, Wray disclosed that Crooks, who is 20 years old, searched for "how far away was Oswald from Kennedy?" on July 6, 2024. This date was one week before the rally in Butler County, Pennsylvania, where Crooks fired at least eight shots, killing one person and injuring Trump and two others.
The search referred to Lee Harvey Oswald, the man who assassinated President John F. Kennedy in Dallas in 1963. The Warren Commission determined that Oswald was 265.3 feet from Kennedy when he fired the fatal shot.
Wray noted that this search is significant as it shows Crooks was very focused on the rally and Trump. Investigators have examined Crooks' electronic devices, including his cellphone, but have not yet found clear motives or ideologies.
At the rally, Crooks shot from a roof about 400 feet away from Trump using an AR-style rifle. Eight spent bullet cartridges were found on the roof where he fired.
The FBI is still working to uncover more about Crooks' motives and any connections to his actions.
