The FBI revealed that the 20-year-old who attempted to assassinate former President Trump at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania had carefully planned and scoped out the rally site. This included visiting the rally site at the Butler County Fair Grounds a week before the shooting and practicing with the same weapon he used at a shooting range the day before the attack. The shooter’s father legally transferred the firearm used in the shooting to his son, which had been purchased legally in 2013. The FBI also revealed that the shooter had stockpiled guns and components to create explosive devices.
In addition to the firearms and explosive devices, the shooter had made multiple gun purchases using online aliases over a year before the shooting. He had also made chemical precursor related purchases of materials used to create explosive devices in the first half of 2024. Despite these concerning purchases and activities, the shooter’s parents were not initially alarmed as he had a keen interest in science and regularly conducted experiments at home. The FBI Special Agent in Charge of the Pittsburgh field office stated that they are still investigating the shooter’s motive following over 450 interviews and examining more than 2,100 tips from the public.
The FBI described the shooter as highly intelligent, attending college and maintaining steady employment. They also noted that he was a loner and there was no evidence of mental illness or use of medications. The agency had requested information from 86 companies connected to the shooter, although they did not specify what information was requested. Nearly three weeks after the shooting, the Butler County Fair Grounds were preparing for their annual fair without the presence of FBI agents. Fox News Digital reached out to the FBI for comment on the ongoing investigation.
The revelation of the shooter’s careful planning and preparation for the assassination attempt on former President Trump raises questions about how he was able to evade security measures at the rally. Despite not showing any signs of mental illness or the use of medications, the shooter had stockpiled guns and explosive device components over a period of time leading up to the attack. The FBI’s investigation into the shooter’s motive and connections to various companies is ongoing and they have received a significant amount of information from the public.
The shooter’s parents were initially unconcerned about his purchases and experiments due to his interest in science and history of conducting experiments at home. The shooter’s father had legally transferred the firearm used in the attack to his son, which had been purchased years earlier. The shooter’s high level of intelligence and loner personality may have contributed to his ability to carefully plan and execute the attack. The FBI’s efforts to gather information from connected companies and continue interviewing individuals in connection to the shooter’s motives indicates a thorough investigation is ongoing.
As the Butler County Fair Grounds prepared for their annual fair in the wake of the shooting, questions remained about how the shooter was able to carry out the attack without detection. The absence of FBI agents at the fair grounds during the preparations highlights the ongoing nature of the investigation into the assassination attempt. With no clear evidence of mental illness or medications used by the shooter, the FBI continues to work to understand his motives and connections to various companies.
