The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has identified the perpetrator as a 20-year-old youth named Thomas Matthew Crooks.
Crooks is a registered Republican voter living in Bethel Park, Pennsylvania. He used his father’s AR type weapon in the shooting.
Why was Trump the target of the shooting?
Reporting from NBC News, Trump’s motive for shooting is currently unknown.
FBI special agent in Pittsburgh, Kevin Rojek, said the investigative team was still investigating this incident.
“We have not yet identified the motive [for the shooting]. However, the investigative team continues to work tirelessly to identify this,” said Rojek.
The FBI said a team of investigators had been scouring Crooks’ social media and emails for a motive. However, there are no signs whatsoever that point to a bright spot.
The investigative team has now seized Crooks’ cell phone to analyze it further, CBS News reported.
Meanwhile, a senior law enforcement official, who was directly briefed on the matter, said the shooting showed that political ideology was a possible motive for the incident. However, there is no evidence regarding this allegation.
