Donald Trump's Would-Be Assassin Searched for Public Appearances of Former President and Joe Biden Ahead of Rally

Thomas Matthew Crooks, the 20-year-old who nearly assassinated former President Donald Trump at a rally in Butler, Penn., had meticulously planned his attack by searching for public appearances of both Trump and President Joe Biden.

The FBI discovered a troubling pattern upon accessing Crooks' electronic devices. Crooks, who had political affiliations with both the Republican and Democratic parties, had searched for images of high-profile government officials, including Trump, President Biden, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland and FBI Director Christopher A. Wray.

He had also researched venues and dates of their public appearances, with one of Trump's events coincidentally close to Crooks' home.

The FBI further revealed that Crooks had visited a shooting range one day before the assassination attempt and had purchased ammunition and a ladder shortly before the attack, indicating meticulous planning and preparation.

During the rally, Crooks shot Trump in the ear, resulting in the death of one attendee, with two other injured, before being killed by Secret Service agents. This tragic incident took place merely 50 miles from Crooks' residence.

Local police officers had noticed Crooks behaving strangely before Trump's appearance, prompting them to alert the Secret Service. However, as the report mentioned, there was a lapse in surveillance, allowing Crooks to reappear near the stage undetected until moments before the violent act. At that point, a sniper managed to capture his image from a distance.

Despite concerns raised by the local officers, the Secret Service did not prevent Trump from taking the stage, leading to the attempted assassination.

As OK! previously reported, the would-be assassin supposedly teased his diabolical plan to fellow gamers on the popular gaming platform Steam ahead of the shooting.

"July 13 will be my premiere, watch as it unfolds," Crooks allegedly posted on the platform.

In addition to discovering the now-dead shooter's threatening statement, law enforcement investigators reportedly found that Crooks also looked up "when is DNC convention and July 13 Trump rally" before being shot dead.

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The FBI is still trying to search for a potential motive regarding why the suspect wanted to murder Trump, as no interviews so far have revealed the would-be assassin's potential past discussions of politics.

U.S. senators were also informed that Crooks had two cell phones. His primary one was recovered at the scene with a remote transmitter.