Remarks as prepared.

Good morning, Chairmen Peters and Durbin, Ranking Members Paul and Graham, and distinguished members of the committees. 

It is a privilege to appear before you today to discuss the FBI’s investigation of the attempted assassination of former President Trump on July 13 in Butler, Pennsylvania.

Before going further, I want to again offer my condolences to the victims of this heinous attack. To the family and loved ones of heroic fire fighter and father Corey Comperatore; to Mr. Dutch and Mr. Copenhaver, who continue to recover; and to former President Trump, who was also struck by a bullet fired from the shooter’s rifle. Our thoughts and prayers are with each of them and their families and loved ones.

Within minutes of the attack, the FBI field office in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, received notification of the assassination attempt and responded to the scene immediately with a surge of resources, quickly moving forward on the investigation. 

From the outset, the FBI has been investigating this attack as an assassination attempt and an act of domestic terrorism. Our team continues to conduct a full, thorough, and objective investigation and will continue to follow all leads and investigative avenues to logical conclusion, leaving no stone unturned.

Investigative Update

While it is not typical to provide details about an ongoing investigation, this is an extraordinarily tragic set of circumstances of national importance, making it essential to inform the American public and Congress what is known right now.

The investigation remains focused on determining motive, identifying any potential co-conspirators or others with knowledge of the attack, and building out a timeline of shooter Thomas Crooks’ actions in advance of and during the attack. Thus far, though absolutely nothing has been ruled out, the investigation has not identified a motive nor any co-conspirators or others with advance knowledge.

To date, the FBI team has conducted more than 460 interviews; executed search warrants, including at the shooters residence; and seized electronic media, to include phones, laptops, hard drives, and thumb drives. Legal process has been issued to dozens of companies, and we have received more than 2,000 tips from the public.

The full resources of the FBI have been brought to bear in furtherance of the investigation: agents, analysts, and professional staff. I’ve visited the site of this horrific attack and seen firsthand the work of FBI Pittsburgh and our partners on the front line and want to thank all involved for their ongoing and tireless efforts to get the answers we need and deliver justice. 

Specialized resources deployed include evidence response teams, victim specialists, Laboratory and Operational Technology Division resources to process physical evidence and digital devices, and a shooting reconstruction team. Additionally, our explosives experts have analyzed the three IEDs recovered—two in the shooter’s vehicle, one in his family’s residence—and the Behavioral Analysis Unit is helping to build a profile of the shooter, including mental state. 

Timeline

Next, I want to provide a brief, highlighted overview of the timeline that has been established to date through witness interviews and other information. Again, this is our understanding at present and is subject to change and further refinement as more facts are collected.

On July 3, the rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, was announced. 

On July 6, the shooter registered to attend the rally and performed a search for "how far away was Oswald from Kennedy."

On July 7, the shooter traveled from his home to the Butler Farm Show Grounds and remained there for approximately 20 minutes. We assess this shows advanced planning and reconnaissance on his part.

On July 12, the shooter traveled from his home to the Clairton Sportsman Club, where he practiced shooting.

On the morning of July 13, at approximately 10 a.m., the shooter returned to the Butler Farm Show Grounds and remained there for about 70 minutes before returning home. At approximately 1:30 p.m., while at the residence, the shooter’s father gave him a rifle for the purpose of going to the Sportsman’s Club, he believed. About 25 minutes later, the shooter purchased ammunition while en route to the Butler Farm Show Grounds.

The subject then arrived at the scene and was moving around the Farm Show grounds, close to the AGR [American Glass Research] building, from which he ultimately committed the attack. Shortly thereafter, at approximately 3:51 p.m., the shooter flew a drone approximately 200 yards from the Farm Show grounds for about 11 minutes. The drone and controller were later found in the subject’s car. Analysis did not reveal any photos or video taken by the drone, but we can confirm he was live streaming and would have been able to view it on his controller. 

The first reported sighting of the shooter by local law enforcement was at approximately 4:26 p.m. At approximately 5:10 p.m., the shooter was again identified by local law enforcement as a suspicious person around the AGR building. 

At approximately 5:14 p.m., a local SWAT operator took a photo. At around 5:32 p.m., local SWAT observed the shooter next to the AGR building using his phone, browsing news sites, and with a range finder. At approximately 5:38 p.m., the photo of the shooter taken earlier is sent to local SWAT operators in a text message group.

Approximately 25 minutes prior to the shooting, the U.S. Secret Service command post was notified of the suspicious person. Officers lost sight of the subject from approximately 6:02 p.m. to 6:08 p.m. but continued to communicate and attempt to locate him.

Recently discovered video from a local business shows the shooter pulling himself up onto the AGR building rooftop at approximately 6:06 p.m. At approximately 6:08 p.m., the subject was observed on the roof by law enforcement. At approximately 6:11 p.m., a local police officer was lifted to the roof by another officer, saw the shooter, and radioed that he was armed with a long gun. 

Within approximately the next 30 seconds, shots were fired. The evidence recovery team found eight shell casings at the scene next to the shooter; we believe the subject fired eight rounds.

While the investigation has not determined motive, the investigative team continues to review information from legal returns, including online and social media accounts.

Something just very recently uncovered is a social media account, which is believed to be associated with the shooter in the 2019 to 2020 timeframe. There were over 700 comments posted from this account. Some of these comments, if ultimately attributable to the shooter, appear to reflect anti-Semitic and anti-immigration themes, espouse political violence, and are extreme in nature.

While the investigative team is still working to verify this account to determine if it did belong to the shooter, we believe it important to note, particularly given the general absence of information to date reflecting on the shooter’s potential motive. 

Resources

• Remarks by Deputy Director Paul Abbate at Press Briefing on the Investigation of the Butler, Pennsylvania, Assassination Attempt
• Remarks by FBI Pittsburgh Special Agent in Charge Kevin Rojek at Press Briefing on the Investigation of the Butler, Pennsylvania, Assassination Attempt
• Director Wray's Opening Statement to the House Judiciary Committee