During a House Judiciary Committee hearing on Wednesday, FBI Director Christopher Wray revealed that investigators believe Thomas Matthew Crooks, who attempted to assassinate former President Donald Trump, was live-streaming footage from a drone he had flown over the Butler, Pennsylvania rally site prior to the shooting.
Wray confirmed that a drone, which Crooks was believed to have used, was recovered from his vehicle. According to Wray, Crooks was operating the drone around 4 p.m. on the day of the incident, flying it approximately 200 yards from the rally site, though not directly over the stage. Investigators think, but have not confirmed, that Crooks was live-streaming the footage around 3:50 to 4:00 p.m.
Wray also discussed the explosive devices found in Crooks’ car and residence, describing them as “relatively crude” but capable of remote detonation. Two receivers for the explosive devices were found in Crooks’ vehicle, while a transmitter was discovered with his body. Wray noted that due to the on-off position of the receivers, it appears that the devices would not have detonated if Crooks had attempted to use them. However, he cautioned that this does not imply the explosives were not dangerous.
“We think but we do not know so again, this is one of these things that’s qualified because of our ongoing review, that he was live streaming, you know viewing the footage from that again about 11 minutes and around the 3:50, 4 o’clock pm range.”
Wray also spoke on the explosive devices found in Crooks’ car and residence, calling tem “relatively crude devices” that had the ability to be remotely detonated. Wray said that two receivers were found in Crooks’ for the two explosive devices discovered there, and a transmitter was found with Crooks’ body. Because of the on-off position of the receivers, Wray said that it currently appears to investigators like the devices would not have detonated if Crooks had tried, but “that doesn’t mean the explosives weren’t dangerous.”
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