What You Need to Know About the Trump Assassination Attempt and Its Aftermath

The FBI is still trying to determine the motive for the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump on Saturday, while the tone of this week’s Republican convention in Milwaukee is likely to be dominated by violence.

Former fire chief killed at Trump rally in Pennsylvania hailed as ‘man of conviction’

The shooting injured two other men and pierced the upper part of Trump’s ear. The 20-year-old accused by authorities of carrying out the attack is believed to have acted alone with his father’s gun.

Here’s a look at what we know so far about the Trump assassination attempt and its aftermath:

Acting strangely outside of the event

Authorities say Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, about 50 miles (80 kilometers) from the shooting, came to the attention of law enforcement when spectators at the Trump rally noticed he was acting strangely outside the event. Specifically, he was walking near the magnetometers, according to a law enforcement official who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the investigation.

The gunman managed to reach a nearby rooftop with an AR-style rifle and a local law enforcement officer climbed onto the roof and found Crooks, who pointed the rifle at the officer, Butler County Sheriff Michael Slupe told The Associated Press. The officer backed down the ladder and the gunman quickly fired in Trump’s direction.

Trump was holding up a chart showing the number of border crossings when the shootings started.

When the first shot rang out, Trump said, “Oh,” then put his hand to his right ear and looked at it before quickly crouching to the ground behind his lectern.

Someone near the microphone was heard yelling, “Get down, get down, get down, get down!” as officers rushed to the stage. They piled on top of the former president to shield him with their bodies while other officers took up positions on stage to scan for the threat.

U.S. Secret Service agents shot the gunman, officials said.

Trump later said the upper part of his right ear had been pierced by a bullet. His advisers said he was in “very good spirits” and doing well. He arrived in Milwaukee Sunday night for the convention, which began Monday.

A loner whose motive remains unknown

Investigators are searching for clues and the lack of any clear ideological motive so far has led conspiracy theories to flourish.

The FBI believes Crooks acted alone. Investigators found no threatening comments on social media or ideological stances that could help explain what led him to target Trump.

Crooks graduated from Bethel Park High School in 2022. An FBI official told reporters that Crooks’ family is cooperating with investigators.

Crooks’ political leanings were not immediately clear. Records show Crooks was registered as a Republican voter in Pennsylvania, but federal campaign finance reports also show he donated $15 to a progressive political action committee on Jan. 20, 2021, the day Biden was sworn in.

Jason Kohler, who said he attended the same high school as Crooks but did not share classes with him, said Crooks was bullied at school and would sit alone at lunch. Other students would make fun of him because of the clothes he wore, including hunting gear, Kohler said.

“He was just an outcast, and you know how kids are these days,” Kohler told reporters.

Crooks worked at a nursing home as a dietary assistant, a job that typically involves preparing meals. Marcie Grimm, the administrator of Bethel Park Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation, said in a statement that she was “shocked and saddened to learn of his involvement.” Grimm added that Crooks had a clean record when he was hired.

Authorities are investigating a shooting that may have been the result of an act of domestic terrorism

The FBI is investigating the shooting as a potential act of domestic terrorism, and questions are mounting about how the shooter got so close to the scene in the first place.

Kevin Rojek, the FBI’s agent in charge in Pittsburgh, said it was “surprising” that the shooter was able to open fire at the scene before Secret Service officers killed him.

Bomb-making materials were found in Crooks’ vehicle and at his home, authorities said. The FBI described the devices as “rudimentary.”

Former fire chief killed was ‘man of conviction’

Gov. Josh Shapiro said Sunday that the man killed at the Trump rally, Corey Comperatore, “threw himself toward his family to protect them.”

“Corey died a hero,” the governor said. Comperatore, 50, was a former fire chief.

Pennsylvania State Police have identified two other men who were shot as David Dutch, 57, of New Kensington, and James Copenhaver, 74, of Moon Township. Both men remain hospitalized in stable condition, state police said.

Comperatore’s quick decision to use his body as a shield against the bullets flying toward his wife and daughter resonated with close friends and neighbors who loved and respected the 50-year-old proud Trump supporter, noting that the Butler County resident was a “man of conviction.”

“He’s a real hero. He pushed his family out of his way and got himself killed for them,” said Mike Morehouse, who has lived next door to Comperatore for the past eight years. “He’s a hero I was happy to have as a neighbor.”

Randy Reamer, president of the Buffalo Township Volunteer Fire Company, called Comperatore “an honest guy” and “a real firefighter brother.” He said Comperatore had been chief of the company for about three years, but he was also a life member, meaning he had served for more than 20 years.

“He was a great guy, always willing to help someone,” Reamer said of Comperatore. “He always stood up for what he believed in, he never backed down from anyone. … He was a really good guy.”

Trump arrives in Milwaukee as Republican National Committee continues

The Republican National Convention kicked off Monday, with Trump and his advisers vowing to show resilience in the face of the onslaught. The four-day event showcased the former president and his agenda as his party officially chose him as its nominee.

It’s not yet clear whether Saturday’s attack will change the convention, which typically has a festive atmosphere. Republican officials have said they want to defy the threat Trump has faced and stick to their plans and schedule. But at the very least, the event is expected to include a heightened focus on security and a grim acknowledgement of how incredibly close Trump came to losing his life.

The presumptive Republican nominee and his allies will undoubtedly face the nation united and ready to “fight,” as a bloodied Trump shouted Saturday as Secret Service agents at his Pennsylvania rally rushed him to safety.

Anger and anxiety are spreading through the party, even as many leading Republicans call for calm and a reduction in tensions. As elected officials, politicians and some ordinary Americans speak at the conference, the question is what tone will prevail in the aftermath of the attack: Will the rhetoric be even more heated, or will calls for calm prevail?