2 months ago
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John Miller and Shania Shelton, CNN
(CNN) — Investigators judge the gunman who attempted to assassinate erstwhile President Donald Trump whitethorn person utilized a drone connected a reconnaissance travel to nan rally tract connected nan time of nan shooting, a rule enforcement charismatic acquainted pinch nan investigation told CNN.
Investigators searching Thomas Crooks’ belongings recovered a drone successful his car. The moving mentation investigators are exploring is that nan drone would person fixed Crooks an overview of nan rooftops of adjacent buildings and really they connect, according to nan rule enforcement official. That could person helped him take nan spot wherever he fired nan shots toward nan podium wherever Trump was standing.
New grounds shared by aggregate rule enforcement officials besides reveals that a ladder purchased by Crooks respective hours earlier he opened occurrence and a backpack believed to person belonged to him person been located and are successful nan possession of national authorities.
A man driving adjacent nan shooter’s location discovered nan ladder and backpack connected nan broadside of nan road, according to rule enforcement sources from 2 abstracted agencies. The personification reportedly saw nan ladder successful that location for respective days earlier deciding to alert authorities.
The discoveries of nan ladder, backpack and drone travel arsenic investigators are struggling to find a motive for Crooks’ assault. As much specifications are released astir nan grounded assassination attempt, nan US Secret Service has faced questions and criticism and is scrambling to increase security ahead of nan first run rally pinch some Trump and Republican vice statesmanlike nominee Sen. JD Vance connected Saturday.
As nan investigation continues, authorities are apt to scrutinize these recently recovered items for immoderate clues that mightiness thief portion together nan series of events earlier past Saturday’s shooting.
Investigators person looked into what Crooks was doing successful nan days and hours starring up to his effort to assassinate nan erstwhile president, including combing done his beingness and integer trail. After nan shooting, aggregate rule enforcement sources said investigators recovered a bulletproof vest, 3 afloat loaded magazines and 2 remote-controlled explosive devices successful Crooks’ car.
Additionally, aft a hunt of his residence, investigators discovered different bulletproof vest, different remote-controlled explosive instrumentality and a 3D printer, according to aggregate rule enforcement sources.
The suspect’s compartment telephone contained images of some Trump and President Joe Biden, and his hunt history included dates of nan Democratic National Convention arsenic good arsenic early Trump events. Along pinch images of Trump and Biden, nan shooter’s telephone besides contained pictures of legislature leaders, specified arsenic House Speaker Mike Johnson and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries.
Crooks had searched for information on different caller wide shooter who changeable and killed 4 classmates astatine a Michigan precocious schoolhouse successful 2021. The web searches astir that shooter, Ethan Crumbley, are accordant pinch what rule enforcement officials person seen successful different wide shooters who investigation group they wish to emulate.
The suspect would person been astatine work on nan time of nan attempted assassination, but he told his leader he needed nan time disconnected because he had “something to do” and told his co-workers he would beryllium backmost to activity connected Sunday.
As nan investigation remains successful its early stages, national investigators person pieced together an early image of Crooks as an intelligent, unassuming loner who expressed an liking successful guns and was acold from outspoken astir politics.
The-CNN-Wire
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