Investigation Closes

The FBI concluded that Thomas Matthew Crooks acted alone when he attempted to assassinate President Trump in July 2024.

Context

On July 13, 2024, Crooks opened fire at Trump's campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. The 20-year-old fired eight rounds from a rooftop before Secret Service counter-snipers killed him. Trump was shot in the upper part of his right ear; one rallygoer was killed, and two others were wounded. The FBI took over the investigation hours after the shooting and classified it as an assassination attempt.

Investigation

FBI Director Kash Patel and Deputy Director Dan Bongino told Fox News last week that the FBI concluded that Crooks acted alone after 485 FBI employees worked the case.

The FBI turned over more than 2,750 pages of documents to Senate committees, including interview reports, crime scene photos, and ballistics analysis. Patel and Bongino revealed that the bureau conducted more than 1,000 interviews globally, reviewed 2,000 tips, executed more than 10 search warrants, and issued 100 subpoenas. Investigators analyzed 13 electronic devices and 35 accounts linked to Crooks, including foreign-based email accounts from Germany and Belgium.

No Foreign Connection

The FBI found no evidence of foreign involvement or that anyone else directed, inspired, or assisted Crooks. Investigators dismissed theories about a second shooter and confirmed that all rounds fired at the rally were accounted for.

Crooks left no manifesto or clear indication of why he carried out the attack, though investigators found posts from 2019 and 2020 in which he advocated for political violence. On July 6, 2024, Crooks registered to attend the rally and searched online for information about the Kennedy assassination, weather conditions in Butler, and directions to the nearest hospital.

Trump Satisfied

Patel said the FBI fully briefed Trump as a victim of the case and that the president was satisfied with the investigation's results. The case is now listed as "pending, inactive," though officials said they would continue investigating if credible leads emerge.

Patel also criticized the former FBI director, Christopher Wray, for the testimony he gave to Congress questioning whether a bullet struck Trump. Patel said Wray’s testimony caused distrust in the FBI under President Biden.