Former President Donald Trump was nearly assassinated during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania last week by Thomas Crooks, who searched for pornography on his encrypted Samsung phone. The FBI gained access to the device and found no unusual activity beyond text messages from Crooks’ parents asking where he was. The suspect had also looked up information about President Joe Biden and Trump prior to the attempted assassination.
The failed attempt has left a lasting impact on Trump, who shared details of the event during his speech at the Republican National Convention. He described how he turned his head at the last second, which likely saved his life as a bullet grazed his right ear. The President expressed gratitude for the quick actions of Secret Service agents, who rushed to protect him and save his life.
As authorities continue their investigation into Crooks and the motives behind the assassination attempt, it has been reported that they have discovered concerning digital backgrounds on his devices, including internet searches related to other individuals responsible for mass shootings such as Ethan Crumbley of Oxford High School. The FBI is now focusing its efforts on examining Crooks’ desktop computers and external storage devices found in his bedroom.
