Thursday, 24 October 2024

FBI Director Wray tells Congress that gunman who tried to kill Trump was not on the FBI's radar


FBI Director Christopher Wray revealed during a hearing Wednesday congressional hearing that the gunman who tried to kill former President Donald Trump conducted a google search titled "how far away was Oswald  from Kennedy?"

Wray explained that while they haven't found the motive of the shooter yet, it is very apparent he had a fascination with public figures.

"Starting around July 6 or so he became very focused on former President Trump and this rally," Wray said.

 Wray also confirmed during the hearing that the gunman who attempted to kill former President Donald Trump was not on the FBI's radar. 

After being questioned by Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., Wray said that Thomas Matthew Crooks "was not in our holdings before the shooting."

Wray said that he searched for Crooks in the FBI database, but did not find him. 

Wray said that investigators found about 14 guns in gunman Thomas Matthew Crooks's home. 

While being questioned by Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif., Wray said during a Wednesday congressional hearing that investigators "located a number of firearms associated with the shooter and his family ......I think it was a total of 14 in the house."

Earlier Wray said that FBI has uncovered a drone that gunman allegedly used the day of the attempted assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump to fly around the area. 

"We have recovered a drone that the shooter appears to have used," Wray said during a Wednesday congressional hearing. "It is being exploited and analyzed by the FBI lab. That drone was recovered in his vehicle."

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio., pressed Wray for more information. 

"When I say area, not over the stage and that part of the area itself....I would say about 200 yards give or take away," he said, later adding that the investigation is still ongoing. 

Wray also gave some more details about the explosives found in gunmen Thomas Matthew Crooks's car. 

He said that there were two explosives in Crooks's vehicle and one in his home. Wray said that Crooks also had a transmitter. 

"At a moment, it looks like because of the on/off position on the receivers, that if he had tried to detonate those devices from the roof, it would not have worked, but that doesn't mean the explosives weren't dangerous," Wray said.

Wray called the assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump a "threat to democracy."

"The attempted assassination of the former president was an attack on our democracy and our democratic process and we will not and do not tolerate political violence of any kind, especially a despicable account of this magnitude," Wray said in his opening statement.

He added that the FBI is working "tirelessly" to figure out the failures of the rally. 

Wray appeared before the House Judiciary Committee is to be questioned by lawmakers on the security failures by law enforcement including the Secret Service that occurred during the July 13 campaign rally for Trump, now the GOP presidential nominee, in Butler, Pennsylvania.

The FBI is leading the investigation into the incident and so far has not found the motive of gunman Thomas Matthew Crooks, who fired eight shot from a rooftop about 150 yards from the rally – killing one and wounding three including Trump.

This is the third hearing this week on the assassination attempt, with former Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle and Pennsylvania State Police Commissioner Col. Christopher Paris testifying at the other hearings. 

Cheatle resigned Tuesday just one day after her testimony in front of the House Oversight Committee. 

Last week, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio., sent a letter to Wray that stated there are "several unanswered questions about the failures that led to the attempted assassination of a president — the first in over 40 years — as well as the FBI's ability to conduct a rapid, transparent, and thorough investigation in the wake of its recent scandals."

This is a developing story....


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