The US Federal Bureau of Investigation on Sunday (FBI) said it is investigating the Pennsylvania shooting incident, in which former President Donald Trump was injured and an attendee tragically killed, as an assassination attempt and potential domestic terrorism. The FBI also stated that there were no current public safety concerns at the time when the statement was released.
The ongoing investigation has yet to identify other co-conspirators and the shooter’s motive. In the course of the investigation, the FBI has already obtained the shooter’s telephone for examination and conducted searches in the shooter’s home and vehicle. The search revealed suspicious devices, rendered safe by bomb technicians, and sent to the FBI Laboratory for evaluation. Previously, the investigation identified Thomas Matthew Crooks, a 20-year-old man as the perpetrator. Amid the ongoing investigation, US President Joe Biden asks the public not to make assumptions about the perpetrator’s motives or affiliations.
The FBI Director Christopher Wray condemned the assassination attempt against a presidential candidate as an attack on democracy. He called on people with information that may assist with the ongoing investigation via its website or telephone. Similarly, Biden also denounced the political violence and called on Americans to calm down despite the strong disagreements in the nation.
According to 18 US Code section 2331(5), domestic terrorism means activities that occur within the US, involving acts dangerous to human life that are a violation of the criminal laws of the United States or of any State, appear with intent to (i) intimidate or coerce a civilian population; (ii) influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion; or (iii) to affect the conduct of a government by mass destruction, assassination or kidnapping.
The shooting incident happened during former president Donald Trump’s campaign rally in Butler Pennsylvania on Saturday evening. The perpetrator fired multiple shots toward the stage. The shots killed a spectator and injured Trump’s left ear. The shooter is now deceased and the Trump Campaign indicated that Trump “is fine and is being checked out at a local medical facility.”
Following the shooting incident, Biden ordered a review of the security measures at the Pennsylvania rally where former president Donald Trump was shot. Currently, the incumbent president, former presidents, and major presidential candidates receive Secret Service protection. US Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle also announced Monday that the US Secret Service will be participating in an independent review and any oversight action.
Despite the shooting incident, Trump arrived in Milwaukee for The Republican National Convention as scheduled and claimed that “a potential assassin cannot force change to scheduling or anything else.”
The 2024 Republican National Convention is scheduled to be held from July 15 to July 18, during which the party’s delegates will select the party’s nominees for president and vice president in the 2024 United States presidential election. On the other hand, the 2024 Democratic National Convention will be held between August 19 and August 22 in Chicago, rallying around Biden’s and Kamala Harris’ nominations for re-election.
