As investigations into the man who tried to assassinate Donald Trump continue, his alarming search history has been revealed.
On Saturday, July 13, 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks nearly succeeded in his attempt to assassinate Donald Trump at a rally in Pennsylvania.
Crooks had positioned himself on the roof of a nearby manufacturing plant, approximately 130 yards from the Butler Farm Show grounds, where Trump was speaking.
About 10 minutes into Trump's address, Crooks opened fire, grazing Trump's ear and tragically killing one rally attendee.
Secret Service snipers swiftly neutralized Crooks after he began shooting. He was found armed with an AR-style semi-automatic rifle and wearing clothing bearing the logo of Demolition Ranch, a popular gun-related YouTube channel.
Investigators continue to search for a motive behind why the 20-year-old climbed a roof with a weapon and opened fire.
Crooks had visited the rally location twice and had images of both Trump and President Joe Biden on his cell phone, according to three US officials speaking to CNN.
Crooks' search history included dates of the Democratic National Convention and future Trump and Biden events, shedding light on his actions leading up to the attack.
According to the New York Times, agents discovered that while Crooks had searched for images of both Trump and President Joe Biden, he also searched for Attorney-General Merrick B. Garland and FBI Director Christopher A. Wray.
In addition to political figures, Crooks had also conducted online searches about major depressive disorder, as reported by administration officials to Congress during briefings on Wednesday.
The FBI's investigative summary reveals that the day before the assassination attempt, Crooks visited a shooting range.
The next day, he bought a ladder and later purchased 50 rounds of ammunition from a local gun shop.
Crooks used his father’s AR-15 style rifle in the attack, a weapon purchased more than a decade earlier.
Reports also indicate that two homemade bombs were discovered in Crooks’ car.
Hours before the shooting, Crooks' parents contacted law enforcement to report their son missing and expressed concern for his welfare, a source told Fox News.
It remains unclear what action the police took based on this information or if they knew Crooks possessed an AR-15 rifle.
Vincent Taormina, a former classmate, recalled that Crooks mocked him for his support of Trump and exhibited a general disdain for mainstream politicians.
“I brought up the fact that I’m Hispanic and, you know, I’m for Trump. And he said, ‘Well, you’re Hispanic, so shouldn’t you hate Trump?’” Taormina told Fox News on Tuesday. “No. He’s great. He was a great President. He called me stupid — or insinuated that I was stupid.”
This exchange occurred during an English class discussion in the 2016 campaign when Trump, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and Senator Bernie Sanders were still in the race.
“He just did not like politicians, especially with the choices that we had,” Taormina said. “He did not like our politicians.”
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