Thomas Crooks’ last search on his cell phone before attempting to assassinate Donald Trump was for pornography, according to a senior law enforcement source who spoke to the Daily Beast.
The source, who requested anonymity, revealed that the FBI’s Operational Technology Division in Quantico discovered this when they accessed the encrypted Samsung phone belonging to the 20-year-old Crooks. Initial attempts by the Pittsburgh field office to unlock the Android device failed, so the phone was transported to Quantico for further examination.
In addition to the pornography search, the only other recent activity on Crooks’ phone was texts from his parents inquiring about his whereabouts. They believed he had taken his AR-style rifle to a shooting range where he practiced.
The FBI also found the phone with Crooks’ body, along with four rifle magazines and a remote control capable of detonating explosives found in his vehicle. Crooks had fired from the roof at Trump, who was on stage, but only grazed him and injured two rally attendees, one fatally, before being killed by a Secret Service counter-sniper. Trump mentioned in his Republican National Convention speech that Crooks was killed with a single bullet.
The FBI is continuing to investigate Crooks’ laptop and hard drives recovered from his home. They are trying to understand why he attempted to kill Trump despite having no clear political motive or known psychiatric issues.
Other information gathered revealed Crooks had searched for both Trump and Joe Biden, as well as details about the Democratic National Convention and members of the British royal family. He also looked up Ethan Crumbley, the Michigan school shooter, and the prosecution of Crumbley’s parents, who were sentenced for not securing the handgun used in the mass shooting.
