Federal investigators continue to probe the motive of the shooter who opened fire at former President Donald Trump’s rally on Saturday, brushing the former president’s ear while leaving one dead and two seriously injured among passers-by.
In a speech from the Oval Office Sunday night, President Biden said the shooter’s motives remained unclear and urged Americans to reject politically motivated violence.
“There is no place in America for this kind of violence, for any violence, ever. Period. No exceptions. We cannot allow this violence to become the norm,” Biden said. “The political rhetoric in this country has gotten very heated. It’s time to calm down. We all have a responsibility to do so.”
More details emerged Sunday about the shooter, identified as 20 years old. Thomas Matthew Crooksof Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, who was killed after opening fire. Crude bomb-making materials were found in the shooter’s home and vehicle. He was a member of a local gun club, and a former classmate said he tried out for the high school shooting team but was rejected.
The FBI is investigating whether Crooks was a politically motivated homegrown violent extremist, and investigators are still combing through his background. Justice Department officials told reporters that investigators have Crooks’ phone and are examining it at the FBI’s lab in Quantico, Virginia.
According to police sources, passersby spotted Crooks with a rifle on a rooftop about 400 feet from where Trump was speaking in Butler, Pennsylvania, and reported his presence to authorities. The Butler County sheriff said a local police officer was lifted off the ground by another officer to monitor the rooftop. Crooks pointed his rifle at the officer, who dropped it and fell.
Crooks then turned toward the rally and fired six to eight shots from an AR-style weapon. A Secret Service sniper quickly shot him dead. Trump was quickly led off the stage by armed agents, blood streaming down the side of his face.
Trump posted on his social media platform Truth Social on Sunday morning, claiming that “it was God alone who prevented the unthinkable from happening.”
Earlier, Mr Biden had ordered an independent review of security at the rally to assess what happened, and said he had asked the Secret Service to review security arrangements for this week’s rally. Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, where Trump will officially be nominated for the party’s nomination. Trump landed in the city Sunday night.
Trump and Mr. Biden spoke Saturday night in what a White House official called a “good, short, respectful” call.
News Source : www.cbsnews.com
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