A deadly shooting at a rally for former President Trump is now being probed as a potential act of terrorism, the FBI confirmed Sunday.
Kevin Rojek, special FBI agent in charge in Pittsburgh, announced that the shooter appears to have acted alone. The FBI hasn’t confirmed a motive yet, but the narrative they’re spinning is getting more interesting by the day.
The weapon of choice? An AR style 5.56 rifle, legally purchased and conveniently found next to the shooter.
“Our primary objective is to figure out the shooter’s motive and whether he had any accomplices,” Rojek said. “So far, it looks like he was a lone wolf, but we’re digging deeper. We’re looking at this as an assassination attempt, but also considering it as a potential domestic terrorism act.”
Apparently, there were no red flags on the shooter’s social media, and no signs of mental health issues. Seems like they always say that after the fact, right?
Technical specialists are busy combing through all the digital evidence and social media accounts of the suspect. Lab services are handling the DNA evidence and the weapon.
The FBI is sending a treasure trove of evidence, including the weapon and the shooter’s phone, to their lab in Quantico, Virginia for further analysis. Kevin Rojek assured reporters during a call that they are leaving no stone unturned.
The weapon, bought legally by Crooks’ father, somehow ended up in his hands. The FBI insists it wasn’t a straw purchase, though the details are murky.
In Crooks’ vehicle, authorities discovered a “suspicious device” that was safely defused but still under analysis. No further details were provided, because why make it easy?
The FBI is scrambling to unlock the suspect’s cell phone for more clues. No motive has been established yet, and there are no indications Crooks had mental health issues. His family, at least, is cooperating with the investigation.
FBI Director Christopher Wray said the full force of the FBI is being used in this investigation. “The shooter may be dead, but the investigation is far from over,” Wray stated. “What happened was an attack on democracy and our democratic process. Trying to assassinate a presidential candidate is despicable and will not be tolerated.”
As of Sunday, the FBI has received over 2,000 tips related to the investigation. Looks like this story is far from over.
