CNN
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Donald Trump’s would-be murderer flew a drone within the space close to the rally simply two hours earlier than the previous president took the stage on July 13 in Butler, Pennsylvania, FBI Director Christopher Wray stated Wednesday.
Chatting with the Home Judiciary Committee, Wray revealed that “round 4 p.m.,” the shooter, Thomas Matthew Crooks, “was flying the drone across the space” of the rally, roughly 200 yards from the stage.
The drone was within the air for about 11 minutes, and investigators imagine Crooks watched a dwell feed from the drone on his cellphone. CNN previously reported that the drone was present in his automobile following the capturing.
As well as, Crooks had two explosives in his automobile on the time of the capturing and one in his residence, however seemingly didn’t have the power to detonate them from the roof the place he was killed, Wray testified.
“It seems like due to the on/off place on the receivers, that if he had tried to detonate these gadgets from the roof, it will not have labored,” Wray stated.
The FBI is investigating the capturing as each an tried assassination and as a possible act of home terrorism.
Investigators say that Crooks fired roughly eight occasions from an AR-style rifle on the former president earlier than being killed by a US Secret Service counter sniper.
FBI officers have repeatedly asserted that they imagine the shooter acted alone, and used a rifle bought legally by his father. On Wednesday, Wray reiterated that there isn’t any proof of any co-conspirators.
New video reveals officers on roof in rapid aftermath of Trump rally capturing
“I’ve been saying a while now that we live in an elevated risk setting,” Wray stated. “The shooter could also be deceased however the FBI’s investigation is ongoing.”
Investigators have gone by way of the shooter’s cellphone and laptop, scoured his search historical past and bed room and have interviewed his household and buddies, however have struggled to determine what motivated the 20-year-old could be murderer to behave.
Crooks additionally had no prior contacts with the FBI, officers say, and had not been beforehand on their radar or databases.
The Home Judiciary Committee listening to is ongoing.
This story is breaking and will probably be up to date.