FBI: Motive of Trump Gunman Still Unknown

story

Aug 29, 2024

Above: An image of the DPMS - Panther Arms A-15 Remington Semiautomatic rifle used by 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13. Image copyright: via FBIstory last updated Aug 30

The Facts

The FBI has said it has not currently identified motive, evidence of co-conspirators, or the influence of foreign entities in relation to last month's attempted assassination of former Pres. Donald Trump by 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks in Butler, Pennsylvania.
While the ongoing investigation has given the FBI an understanding of Crooks's state of mind, the bureau stated that they have not yet found any clear political ideology behind the attempt.

The Spin

Pro-establishment narrative

While Crooks's exact motive remains unknown, painstaking work by the FBI reveals that he searched for rallies by both Trump and Biden and narrowed in on Trump's Butler speech shortly after it was announced. It appears he was more intent on carrying out some act of violence rather than pursuing a specific ideological goal.

Guardian

Establishment-critical narrative

While it is good that more information about the shooting is finally being released, the FBI has still not answered vital questions about how a suspicious person could roam around for at least an hour without challenge, or how he was able to be on a roof so close to the former president for so long without being neutralized.