Trump shooting updates: Shooter flew drone near site hours before shooting

One spectator was killed and two were hurt in the shooting on July 13.

ByIvan Pereira, Mark Osborne, Kevin Shalvey, Emily Shapiro, and Leah Sarnoff
Video byEmmanuelle Saliba and Jessie DiMartino
Last Updated: July 24, 2024, 4:49 PM EDT

Federal authorities are investigating after former President Donald Trump was shot in the ear in an assassination attempt at an election rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13.

The alleged shooter was killed by snipers. One spectator was killed and two were hurt, officials said.

Trump Rally Shooting: Slideshow

1 of 30
Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump arrives for a campaign rally, July 13, 2024, in Butler, Pa.
Evan Vucci/AP

    Latest headlines:

    Here's how the news is developing.
    Jul 24, 2024, 1:18 PM EDT

    Gunman described as 'loner,' had few contacts in his phone

    It appears the shooter, 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, was a "loner" and didn't have a lot of contacts in his phone, FBI Director Christopher Wray told the House Judiciary Committee.

    "A lot of people describe him as a loner. That does kind of fit with what we're seeing in his devices, you know, his list of contacts, for example, is very short, compared to what you would normally see from most people. Doesn't appear to be a whole lot of interaction between him, you know, face-to-face or digital, with a lot of people," Wray said.

    The FBI has conducted over 400 interviews, with "many more to conduct," he said.

    -ABC News’ Luke Barr

    Jul 24, 2024, 12:20 PM EDT

    Shooter's gun had 'collapsible stock,' which is easy to conceal

    The weapon used by the gunman had a "collapsible stock," meaning Thomas Matthew Crooks could easily conceal the gun at the rally, FBI Director Christopher Wray told the House Judiciary Committee.

    "The weapon had a collapsible stock, which could explain why it might have been less easy for people to observe," he said.

    Police snipers are shown on a roof while Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump was speaking at a campaign event in Butler, Pa., on July 13, 2024.
    Gene J. Puskar/AP

    Wray said that the shooter was not on the FBI's radar and there were no FBI assets at the rally.

    Wray said there were 14 guns in the home where Crooks lived.

    -ABC News’ Luke Barr

    Jul 24, 2024, 12:16 PM EDT

    Gunman searched online, 'How far away was Oswald from Kennedy'

    Starting on July 6, the gunman, Thomas Matthew Crooks, became "very focused" on former President Donald Trump and the rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, FBI Director Christopher Wray told the House Judiciary Committee.

    "On July 6, he did a Google search for, 'How far away was Oswald from Kennedy?'" Wray said.

    The shooter went to the rally site a week before the assassination attempt and spent about 20 minutes there, Wray said.

    A campaign rally site for Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump is empty and littered with debris, on July 13, 2024, in Butler, Pa.
    Evan Vucci/AP

    "Then he went to grounds again on the morning of the event, it appears, for about 17 minutes," Wray said.

    Crooks went to the site a third time "for good,” Wray said.

    -ABC News’ Luke Barr

    Jul 24, 2024, 12:09 PM EDT

    Authorities still don’t have clear picture of shooter’s motive: Wray

    Authorities still "do not yet have a clear picture" of the Trump rally shooter's motive, FBI Director Christopher Wray told the House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday.

    "The shooter appears to have done a lot of searches of public figures in general, but so far we’re seeing, kind of, news articles and things like that," he said.

    "We’re doing a lot of work right now and some more to come on that," Wray added.

    Related Topics