New details have been revealed regarding Thomas Matthew Crooks, the man who attempted to assassinate former President Donald Trump. Investigators showed that he used a drone hours before the Trump rally to survey the area.
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Crooks, 20, reportedly programmed the drone to fly over the Butler Farm Showgrounds to gather aerial footage, helping him map out the layout of the assassination attempt. The drone was seen flying over the outdoor venue multiple times. According to the New York Post, the drone was found in Crooks’ car after he was fatally shot by Secret Service agents when he opened fire on Trump. However, it is unclear how many times he flew the drone or when he initiated the aerial scan.
His plan was carried out shortly after the Trump campaign announced the rally on July 3. Crooks registered for the event on July 7 and conducted an on-ground probe of the area using a bike to explore the expansive Bulter County Farm Show. On the day of the rally, Crooks climbed onto a building 130 yards away from where Trump was speaking and opened fire with an AR-style semi-automatic rifle around 6:11 p.m. One bullet grazed the former president’s ear, nearly proving fatal.
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The assassination attempt killed Corey Comperatore, a former volunteer firefighter and a father of two. Two other attendees, David Dutch,57, and James Copenhaver, were injured before Secret Service snipers fatally shot Crooks. Additionally, the incident revealed Crooks’ extensive preparations.
Investigators found homemade bombs, a ballistic vest, and three 30-round magazines in his car. The bombs appeared designed for remote detonation, suggesting a plan to cause more damage. Suspicion around Crooks arose more than an hour before the attack when officers noticed him near the crowd with a range finder and a backpack. Despite being identified as a potential threat 10 minutes before Trump took the stage, Crooks was not known to be armed at that time.
Further investigation revealed Crooks had been tracking Trump’s movements since spring, and authorities are still trying to determine if the motive was driven by political ideology.