United States – The FBI announced on Monday that it has managed to unlock the phone of Thomas Matthew Crooks, the suspect in the shooting of the former president of the United States of America, as they look for more information on why he carried out the act.
FBI reiterated its statement that the investigation regarding the attempted assassination and potential domestic terrorism that occurred on Saturday is still ongoing, as reported by Reuters.
Access Gained to Electronic Devices
“FBI technical specialists successfully gained access to Thomas Matthew Crooks’ phone, and they continue to analyze his electronic devices,” the FBI said in a statement.
“The search of the subject’s residence and vehicle is complete.”
Extensive Interviews Conducted
The bureau pointed out that it interviewed almost 100 law enforcement officers, event attendees, and other people who witnessed the train incident.
Later on Sunday, the FBI held a conference call with reporters where they stated that the agents were still unable to decide on the ideology of the gunman or the reason for the shooting.
Weapon Legally Purchased
The AR-style 556 rifle that the shooter employed was legally bought for him by his father, and authorities could not ascertain that either the suspect had any mental health problems.
Motive Remains Unclear
They also pointed out that in a preliminary search of the recent calls and text messages exchanged by the shooter, investigators could not identify the motive behind the shooting or if others knew about the shooting beforehand, as reported by Reuters.
Trump was injured by a bullet to the right ear during a shooting that occurred at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, in which one of the attendees was killed and two others injured before the Secret Service agents killed the shooter, Crooks, aged 20 years.