FBI Director Christopher Wray testified before the House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday, stating that the agency believes the gunman who targeted former President Donald Trump’s rally in Pennsylvania earlier this month flew a drone near the site for roughly 11 minutes prior to the incident. According to Wray, the shooter, a 20-year-old guy named Thomas Matthew Crooks, used the drone to scan the area.
Wray clarified that the drone and its controller were taken out of Crooks’ car by the investigators. The drone is presently being examined by the FBI lab. Wray stated that Crooks took off with the drone at around 200 yards from the stage at 3:50 p.m. Despite the fact that the drone had no images or recordings on it, the FBI was able to reconstruct the flight path and concluded that Crooks was filming the video live.
On July 13, two hours after the drone flight, Crooks started filming from a rooftop around 150 yards from the platform where Trump was giving his speech. Crooks was shot and killed by a Secret Service sniper, but not before a bullet missed Trump’s ear. Two rally participants were hurt, and one rally participant died.
Three explosive devices were found by the FBI; two were found in Crooks’ car and one was found in his home. According to Wray, the devices were “relatively crude,” but they could be remotely detonated. Along with the explosives, two devices’ receivers were discovered, and Crooks possessed a transmitter.
Wray also mentioned that Crooks’ phone has been tapped by the FBI in order to ascertain his intentions and mental state. Criminals had been using applications for encrypted messaging. Eight more cartridges were discovered on the rooftop where Crooks opened fire.
When questioned by Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA), Wray disclosed that Crooks had registered for Trump’s rally on July 6 and that same day, he had Googled Lee Harvey Oswald and the JFK assassination.
