FBI Uncovers Plot: Gunman Targeted Trump's Pennsylvania Rally

The FBI has revealed that Thomas Crooks, a 20-year-old from Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, planned a detailed attack on a Trump campaign rally. Crooks fired shots at the rally, grazing Trump’s ear, and was later shot by Secret Service snipers.

The FBI on Wednesday unveiled that the gunman who attempted to assassinate former President Donald Trump at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania last month viewed the event as a "target of opportunity," according to Al-Jazeera reports. The gunman, identified as Thomas Crooks of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, fired shots, one of which grazed Trump's ear, during the outdoor rally in Butler.

FBI officials disclosed that 20-year-old Thomas Crooks had orchestrated a "sustained, detailed effort" to attack a significant gathering before zeroing in on the Republican presidential candidate at the July rally. Crooks reportedly conducted more than 60 searches about Trump and his then-rival, Democratic President Joe Biden, prior to registering for the rally.

"We saw ... a sustained, detailed effort to plan an attack on some events, meaning he looked at any number of events or targets," stated Kevin Rojek, the FBI's top official in western Pennsylvania, during a telephone briefing with reporters. Rojek noted that Crooks became "hyper-focused" on the Trump rally once it was announced and saw it as a prime opportunity.

Following the assassination attempt, US Secret Service snipers shot Crooks, and an AR-style rifle was subsequently recovered. Bethel Park, where Crooks resided, is a village located 40 miles south of Butler. The Hill reported that Donald Trump was on stage at the campaign rally when gunshots erupted, causing Secret Service agents to storm the stage. (ANI)

(With inputs from agencies.)