Federal authorities now believe that the Steam account linked to the assailant who fired shots at former President Donald Trump is likely fake, according to a US official briefed on the investigation.
Earlier reports on Thursday, including from The Daily Boulder, citing a source familiar with the matter, had indicated that Thomas Matthews Crooks posted a cryptic message: “July 13 will be my premiere, watch as it unfolds.” The timing and context of this post were not fully disclosed.
Initial information provided to senators by the FBI on Wednesday had pointed to the account belonging to Crooks, as per the source briefed on the matter. However, the assessment has since been revised, the US official told CNN.
Authorities emphasize that the investigation remains at an early stage and has yet to uncover a clear motive.
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Investigators are actively piecing together Crooks’ activities leading up to the incident. He had reportedly visited the location of the Trump rally twice, and images of both Trump and President Joe Biden were found on his cellphone. Additionally, Crooks’ online searches included dates related to the Democratic National Convention and upcoming Trump events, according to three US officials.
Despite these findings, investigators are still searching for the crucial detail that would explain why the 20-year-old climbed onto a roof in Butler, Pennsylvania, armed with an AR-style weapon.
During briefings to Congress on Wednesday, administration officials revealed that Crooks had also searched online for information about major depressive disorder.
