As US law enforcement officers searched Thomas Crooks, shortly after he was shot dead by Secret Service snipers, they found the detonator alongside his mobile phone.
A picture published online yesterday showed the rectangular grey device with a keypad similar to a television remote control, lying next to the gunman's cellphone.
It was also reported that investigating FBI agents recovered explosive materials inside the 20-year-old's car.
They are believed to have been connected to the detonator.
FBI agents are examining the theory that Crooks may have been planning to set off the explosives as a diversion before shooting the ex-US leader at a rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday. But it is not known why he then chose not to set them off. Investigators have yet to figure out a motive for Crooks, who had a minimal social media presence, and are hoping his phone may hold some clues.
Additionally, they found a bulletproof vest, three fully-loaded magazines containing around 100 bullets, and two remote-controlled explosive devices in his car.
This story is from the July 18, 2024 edition of Daily Express.
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This story is from the July 18, 2024 edition of Daily Express.
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