FBI to conduct victim interview with Donald Trump after assassination attempt
Former President Donald Trump has agreed to partake in a victim interview with the FBI regarding the attempt on his life earlier this month, the bureau revealed Monday.
The victim interview is a typical and voluntary aspect of the FBI’s investigatory procedures.
“We want to get his perspective on what he observed,” Kevin Rojek, the special agent in charge of the FBI’s Pittsburgh field office, told reporters Monday.
“The interview of the former president will be consistent with any other victim interview that we do,” Rojek explained, according to CNN.
The FBI has been keen on discovering the motivations behind Thomas Matthew Crooks’ attempt to kill the 45th president during the July 13 rally in Butler, Pa.
“While the FBI investigation may not yet have determined a motive, we believe the subject made significant efforts to conceal his activities,” Rojek added. “Additionally, we believe his actions also show careful planning ahead of the campaign rally.”
Rojek explained that Crooks had looked into prior mass shooting events as well as other attempted assassinations and that his main social circle appeared to be largely limited to immediate family.
“We believe he had few friends and acquaintances throughout his life,” Rojek said.
Authorities previously revealed that Crooks had searched “how far away was Oswald from Kennedy” prior to the shooting and described him as “highly intelligent.”
Ultimately, the 20-year-old would-be assassin perched on a shed rooftop roughly 130 yards from Trump when he opened fire.
Everything we know about the Trump assassination attempt
- 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks was identified as the shooter who attempted to assassinate Donald Trump during a campaign rally in Pennsylvania.
- Crooks was shot dead by Secret Service agents.
- The gunman grazed Trump’s ear, killed a 50-year-old retired fire chief, and injured two other rally-goers.
- Investigators detailed Crooks’ search history to lawmakers, revealing that he looked for the dates of Trump’s appearances and the Democratic National Convention.
- Crooks’ search history also revealed a broad interest in high-profile people and celebrities, regardless of their political affiliation, FBI officials reportedly said.
- Trump exclusively recounted surviving the “surreal” assassination attempt with The Post at the rally, remarking, “I’m supposed to be dead.”
- High-profile politicians, including President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, addressed the nation about the shooting, calling it “a heinous, horrible and cowardly act.”
He unleashed multiple gunshots, killing firefighter Corey Comperatore, 50, severely injuring two others — David Dutch, 57, as well as James Copenhaver, 74 — and nicking Trump’s ear.
Counter-snipers managed to take Crooks out shortly thereafter. Both Dutch and Copenhaver have since been discharged from the hospital.
Last week, FBI Director Christopher Wray caused a stir when he suggested his former boss may not have been hit by a bullet, telling the House Judiciary Committee, “There’s some question about whether or not it’s a bullet or shrapnel.”
This drew pushback from Trump, who noted that the bureau “never even checked.”
The FBI issued a clarification late Friday.
Here’s the latest on the assassination attempt against Donald Trump:
Would-be Trump assassin Thomas Crooks visited gun range dozens of times — including Christmas — for ‘intense preparation’- Newly surfaced texts show Trump rally gunman was on authorities’ radar more than 90 minutes before shooting: report
- FBI to conduct victim interview with Donald Trump after assassination attempt
- Ex-Trump doc says FBI’s Wray is ‘wrong’ to doubt ex-prez was struck by bullet: ‘Absolutely no evidence’
- Trump defends female Secret Service agent who was criticized after assassination attempt: ‘So brave’
“What struck former President Trump in the ear was a bullet, whether whole or fragmented into smaller pieces, fired from the deceased subject’s rifle,” the bureau explained in a statement.
Trump wore a bandage over his right ear for almost two weeks but has since removed it.
The 78-year-old former president is planning to return to Butler, Pa., for a rally — but after the Secret Service says it’s ready from a security standpoint.
