Full Breakdown
New FBI Documents Raise Questions Over 2024 Trump Assassination Attempt
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event: Shooting, Fatalities and Cremation
On July 13, 2024, Thomas Matthew Crooks opened fire at a campaign rally for former President Donald Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania. The gunfire killed one rally attendee, seriously injured two others, and clipped Trump’s ear. Secret Service agents returned fire, killing Crooks moments later. Federal records later show that an “anonymous donor” paid for Crooks’s cremation within days of the incident.
Background & Context
The attack follows a prior 2022 attempt on Trump’s life in Butler, underscoring ongoing security concerns. The newly released FBI files, turned over to the Senate Judiciary Committee, contain digital footprints—including a Snapchat account (“tom_crooks19”), an Amazon-order history, and encrypted-email usage—none of which have clarified Crooks’s motive.
Data & Statistics
- Casualties: 1 dead, 2 seriously injured, Trump grazed in the ear.
- Perpetrator: Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, registered as a Republican two years before his death.
- Digital activity: Snapchat account identified; Mailfence logins from April 15, 2024 through July 8, 2024.
- Financial trace: An “anonymous donor” covered cremation costs; questions remain about a possible foreign bank account linked to Crooks.
Official Statements & Responses
House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer said his panel is reviewing the material and may seek testimony from former FBI Director Christopher Wray. Attorney General Todd Blanche said, “it’s not really clear what the leadership of the FBI were doing in the weeks and months ahead of the attempted assassination to protect President Trump.”
The committee issued a lawful subpoena to Leon Black and moved to hold him in contempt after non-compliance.
Verbatim Quotes
- “There was always question about the foreign bank account. There's always questions about who paid for the funeral, anonymous person,” — James Comer
- “If we determine that there was information that Wray provided that was not factual or inconsistent with what was released this week, then we will definitely bring him in in front of the oversight committee,” — James Comer
- “We issued him a lawful subpoena,and when you don't show up for a lawful subpoena, then the next step is to hold him in contempt, and that's what we did today,” — James Comer
- “When you snap and that picture goes away that everything is gone, and that's not true. When I've served search warrants, there's been a treasure trove of information that has come back,” — Special Agent Jason Pack
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
- Motive: Crooks’s father could not identify a motive; no link to an organized plot has been found.
- Cremation timing: Rep. Clay Higgins noted the FBI released Crooks’s body for cremation “10 days after July 13,” but the decision-making process is undocumented.
- FBI disclosures: The Senate received the Snapchat and email data, but the FBI has not confirmed whether the material sheds light on Crooks’s planning or affiliations.
What’s Next
The Oversight Committee may subpoena Christopher Wray if inconsistencies appear in his testimony and will pursue the contempt vote against Leon Black. Legislation is also advancing to allow victims of sexual abuse bound by non-disclosure agreements to speak directly to Congress or law enforcement.
These steps indicate continued congressional scrutiny of the July 13 shooting and the FBI’s handling of high-profile investigations.