Newly released FBI records indicate that Thomas Matthew Crooks, the individual responsible for the attempted assassination of President Donald Trump in 2024, exchanged emails with an official from the Butler County Sheriff’s Office prior to the attack. These documents, obtained through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit filed by the government watchdog group Judicial Watch, shed additional light on the events leading up to the July 13, 2024, incident at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
"The records provide additional details about Crooks’ contacts and actions before and after the attack and argued that further transparency remains necessary as questions about the assassination attempt continue." — Tom Fitton, President of Judicial Watch
The shooting incident at the campaign rally resulted in President Donald Trump being wounded and the death of retired firefighter Corey Comperatore. Crooks, 20, was subsequently fatally shot by law enforcement officers at the scene. The newly disclosed records form part of a broader release of investigative materials that Judicial Watch sought in its litigation against the FBI and Department of Justice, which commenced shortly after the assassination attempt. The organization’s FOIA request specifically targeted reports, interview summaries, communications, and other relevant records pertaining to Crooks and the federal investigation.
Among the documents is an FBI summary dated July 17, 2024, detailing an interview with a deputy from the Butler County Sheriff’s Office. According to the summary, the deputy informed investigators that she had exchanged two emails with Crooks before the rally. The deputy stated that she only became aware of these communications after receiving an inquiry from a New York Times reporter following the shooting. Upon searching her records, she located the two email messages from Crooks. However, the released FBI documents do not disclose the specific contents of these emails, and their subject matter remains redacted. The deputy further clarified to investigators that she had no other contact or personal interaction with Crooks beyond these email exchanges. The records do not specify when these emails were sent or whether they bore any connection to the campaign event itself.
The released materials also include an FBI FD-302 interview summary from a medic assigned to the Beaver County Emergency Services Unit, who was among the first responders at the scene. The medic recounted arriving at the Butler County fairgrounds around 9 a.m. on the day of the rally to provide medical support. Following the shooting, she was directed to the American Glass Research building, where Crooks had positioned himself on a rooftop overlooking the event.
The medic's account details her ascent of a collapsible ladder to reach the roof at approximately 6:23 p.m. She then checked Crooks for a carotid pulse and pronounced him dead at 6:25 p.m. The report indicates that Crooks was observed lying face down with flex-cuffs applied, and a rifle was found nearby. The medic further stated that a Washington County SWAT officer searched Crooks’ pocket, recovering a cell phone and a gray remote device equipped with numerical buttons and an antenna. This device was later examined by explosive ordnance disposal personnel.
The report also notes that a police canine subsequently alerted on an area below the rooftop where Crooks was found, prompting authorities to temporarily evacuate personnel while Crooks’ body remained at the scene. The medic remained on site until after 1 a.m. the following day and later participated in a debriefing session regarding the incident.
Tom Fitton, President of Judicial Watch, commented on the release, stating that the records offer additional details regarding Crooks’ contacts and actions both before and after the attack. Fitton emphasized the ongoing need for further transparency, asserting that questions about the assassination attempt persist and require continued investigation and disclosure.
