Donald Trump shooter's arsenal of weapons revealed in assassination bid probe

Guns and armaments have been pictured that were owned by the man who attempted to assassinate Donald Trump.

Thomas Matthew Crooks fired several shots from an AR-style rifle, resulting in Trump suffering an injury to one ear and narrowly escaping a fatal wound. Photos show the gun used and two explosive devices which were found in the boot of his car following the assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania

And the gunman had been researching events involving both Trump and current President Joe Biden, according to a senior FBI official. It was revealed on Wednesday that 20-year-old Crooks had repeatedly searched for information about explosives online and viewed the Pennsylvania campaign rally where he opened fire last month as a "target of opportunity".

Investigators, who have conducted nearly 1,000 interviews, are yet to establish a motive for why Crooks shot at Trump during a July 13 campaign rally. However, they believe he carried out "extensive attack planning," which included researching campaign events involving both the current and former presidents, particularly in western Pennsylvania.

Kevin Rojek, the special agent in charge of the FBI's Pittsburgh field office, told reporters on Wednesday that an analysis of Crooks' online search history showed a "sustained, detailed effort to plan an attack on some event, meaning he looked at any number of events or targets".

Once a Trump rally was announced for July 13 in Butler, Pennsylvania, Crooks became hyper-focused on that specific event and looked at it as a target of opportunity," Rojek said. In the days leading up to the rally, Crooks' internet searches included queries about the grounds where the rally was held, such as "Where will Trump speak from at Butler Farm Show? " "Butler Farm Show podium and " and "Butler Farm Show photos."

Emerging details are painting a disturbing picture of Crooks - a man deeply engrossed in explosives and significant events, who had an unsettling interest in high-profile political figures. Investigators probing his background found cross-party internet searches, complicating their efforts to attribute a straightforward motive.

"We have a clear idea of mindset, but we are not ready to make any conclusive statements regarding motive at this time," Rojek remarked. Positioned on the roof of a neighbouring edifice, Crooks fired eight rounds before a Secret Service counter-sniper neutralized him.

"We have a clear idea of mindset, but we are not ready to make any conclusive statements regarding motive at this time," reiterated Rojek. Surprisingly, a new poll unveiled by the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research suggests that most Americans question the efficacy of the Secret Service in protecting presidential hopefuls following the recent attempt on ex-President Trump's life.

The poll shows that just approximately 3 in 10 Americans exhibit high levels of trust in the capability of the Secret Service to shield candidates from harm as election violence fears linger. Additionally, the survey reveals that nearly 7 in 10 Americans feel the Secret Service holds some level of accountability for the assassination attempt.