Motive of shooter at Trump rally still unclear – Biden calls for calm

Federal investigators continue to investigate the motive of the shooter, who opened fire during former President Donald Trump’s rally on Saturday, touch the ear of the former president One passerby was killed and two others were seriously injured.

In a speech from the Oval Office on Sunday evening, President Biden said the shooter’s motives remain unclear and called on Americans to reject politically motivated violence.

“There is no place for this kind of violence in America, for violence of any kind, ever. Period. No exceptions. We cannot allow this violence to become the norm,” Biden said. “The political rhetoric in this country has become very heated. It’s time to cool it down. We all have a responsibility to do that.”

Further details about the shooter came to light on Sunday. He is a 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooksof Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, who was killed after opening fire. Basic bomb-making materials were found in the gunman’s home and his vehicle. He was a member of a local gun club, and a former classmate said he tried out for the high school rifle team but didn’t make the cut.

The FBI is currently investigating whether Crooks was a politically motivated domestic violent extremist, and investigators are still digging into his past. Justice Department officials told reporters that investigators have Crooks’ phone and are examining it at the FBI lab in Quantico, Virginia.

Law enforcement sources said passersby spotted Crooks with a rifle on a rooftop about 400 feet from Trump’s speaking venue in Butler, Pennsylvania, and reported his presence to authorities. The Butler County sheriff said a local police officer was lifted up by another officer to look at the rooftop. Crooks pointed his rifle at the officer, who let go of it and it fell.

Crooks then turned toward the rally and fired six to eight shots from an AR-style weapon. Shortly afterward, a Secret Service sniper shot him. Trump was quickly dragged off the stage by armed agents, blood running down the side of his face.

On Sunday morning, Trump posted on his social media platform Truth Social that it was “God alone who prevented the unthinkable.”

Biden had previously ordered an independent review of security measures at the rally to assess what happened and said he had directed the Secret Service to review security measures for this week’s rally. Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, where Trump will be officially named the party’s nominee. Trump landed in the city on Sunday evening.

The conversation between Trump and Biden took place on Saturday evening and was described by a White House official as “good, brief and respectful.”