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A shooting range, a gun store, and a ladder purchase: Tracking the Trump rally gunman’s movements leading up to his attack
CNN ^ | July 15, 2024 | John Miller

Posted on 07/16/2024 4:01:53 AM PDT by edwinland

In the 48 hours before he opened fire on former President Donald Trump, 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks made a series of stops in and around his suburban Pittsburgh hometown.

On Friday, he went to a shooting range where he was a member, and practiced firing, a law enforcement official told CNN. The next morning, Crooks went to a Home Depot, where he bought a five-foot ladder, and a gun store, where he purchased 50 rounds of ammunition, the official said.

Then, Crooks drove his Hyundai Sonata about an hour north, joining thousands of people from around the region who flocked to Trump’s rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. He parked the car outside the rally, with an improvised explosive device hidden in the trunk that was wired to a transmitter he carried, the official said. Then, investigators believe, he used his newly-bought ladder to scale a nearby building, and opened fire on the former president.

As investigators continue to search for a motive behind the attempted assassination, they are scrutinizing Crooks’ movements before the attack and trying to piece together a timeline of his actions leading up to it.

Yet nearly 48 hours after the shooting, investigators are struck by the lack of leads they’re finding about Crooks’ mindset and possible motives. Even after successfully breaking into his phone and searching his computer, scouring his search history and bedroom, and interviewing his family and friends, agents still haven’t found evidence that would suggest political or ideological impetus for the shooting, law enforcement sources told CNN.

(Excerpt) Read more at edition.cnn.com ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: assassinationattempt; failedassassin; shooter; thomasmatthewcrooks; trumpshooter
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To: Ann Archy

The news have said they are fully cooperating with the investigation. So far we haven’t seen out heard from them yet


21 posted on 07/16/2024 4:28:34 AM PDT by Blue Highway
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To: mac_truck

There were some covered passageways between buildings that were a few feet shorter than the roof edge.

I don’t think he worried about standing on the top rung.


22 posted on 07/16/2024 4:30:10 AM PDT by heartwood (Someone has to play devil's advocate.)
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To: edwinland

I believe none of this.


23 posted on 07/16/2024 4:30:30 AM PDT by ClearCase_guy (It's not "Quiet Quitting" -- it's "Going Galt".)
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To: edwinland

anything the left is reporting is meant to flood the zone with misinformation

that’s where everyone needs to start

i’m looking for a step by step evaluation of the operational playbook for presidential events and red highlights of each operational failure point and who was responsible

who was in on the assassination plot?

Bongino, can you help with this?


24 posted on 07/16/2024 4:32:31 AM PDT by WeaslesRippedMyFlesh
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To: dp0622

Here is my humorous conspiracy theory:

The left calls Trump “Cheetos” because they hate people of color.
Biden hires a woman to be SS Director who’s primary job was to prevent the theft of Cheetos.
Her name is Cheatle…..eerily similar to Cheetos.

Coincidence?

I think not!
/rotfl


25 posted on 07/16/2024 4:34:52 AM PDT by Erik Latranyi (This is the end of the Republic....because we could not keep it.)
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To: Keyhopper

Extension ladder, obviously.


26 posted on 07/16/2024 4:37:55 AM PDT by Fido969
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To: Erik Latranyi

lol

I always knew Cheetos secretly ran the country!

But I didn’t want to sound racist :)


27 posted on 07/16/2024 4:38:23 AM PDT by dp0622 (Tried a coup, a fake tax story, tramp slander, Russia nonsense, impeachment and a virus. They lost.)
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To: Blue Highway

After I got divorced, I moved about eight times in ten years. You’d be amazed at what you can get into, or on top of, a sedan.


28 posted on 07/16/2024 4:39:43 AM PDT by Fido969
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To: texanyankee; Blue Highway
The article states:

It’s not clear whether Crooks used the ammunition or the ladder that he bought on Saturday during his attack later that day.

Maybe the ladder in the photo was propped against the building before Crooks arrived, and when Crooks saw it, he didn't bother carrying his own ladder over there?

Just trying to make sense of it all.

29 posted on 07/16/2024 4:43:06 AM PDT by Tired of Taxes
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To: edwinland

About 30 seconds into the contemplation of this plan, even someone of moderate intelligence would’ve abandoned it because of its implausibility. And yet, it worked.


30 posted on 07/16/2024 4:44:55 AM PDT by freedomjusticeruleoflaw (Strange that a man with his wealth would have to resort to prostitution.)
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To: edwinland

Simply more f’n BS. It was an inside job and the “keystone” cops were totally useless as well.


31 posted on 07/16/2024 4:48:29 AM PDT by LastDayz (A blunt and brazen Texan. I will not be assimilated.)
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To: edwinland

“five-foot ladder”??? A 5 foot ladder way too small… The pictures of the scene it looked more like 8’ ladder


32 posted on 07/16/2024 4:52:27 AM PDT by Bulwinkle (Bulwinkle, a.k.a. Daffy Duck )
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To: Blue Highway

I don’t think we will hear much from the parents, I’m sure they have an attorney advising them.


33 posted on 07/16/2024 4:56:26 AM PDT by MRadtke (Light a candle or curse the darkness?)
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To: edwinland

Surprised he had to buy his own ladder.


34 posted on 07/16/2024 4:59:29 AM PDT by Old Yeller (On judgement day, you’ll wish you were biblically correctly, not politically correct.)
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To: Keyhopper

He walked a mile from his car (rental?) With an 8’ fiberglass ladder? Looked like it would be an effort to carry the rifle for his build (kind of kidding) My mushrooming son keeps a 4 or 5’ ladder in the back of his vehicle and it extends to at least 14’. It’s lightweight, aluminum, etc. Regardless, it’s a good thing he knew which of the buildings to go to.


35 posted on 07/16/2024 5:01:45 AM PDT by small farm girl
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To: mac_truck

It doesnt matter how tall the ladder he purchased was. The point was to make it look like he bought his own ladder. The one he actually used was provided for him.


36 posted on 07/16/2024 5:02:30 AM PDT by Old Yeller (On judgement day, you’ll wish you were biblically correctly, not politically correct.)
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To: Qwapisking

Did you hear Bongino podcast yesterday? According to him, crooks was spotted 30 minutes before, but they lost track of him. More incompetence or just part of the plan?


37 posted on 07/16/2024 5:05:07 AM PDT by small farm girl
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To: mac_truck

I figured that out too right after reading it and having earlier seen an aerial photo of the building and ladder.

An 8 foot ladder might have done the trick, a 10 footer would be better. The five foot one described in the article would have been 3 - 5 feet too short.


38 posted on 07/16/2024 5:06:41 AM PDT by redfreedom (Joseph Stalin: "It does not matter how anyone votes, how votes are counted is what matters.")
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To: Blue Highway

They want us to believe, that the kid went to his father, A COUNSELOR, and said- “hey dad, I sure could use a sniper rifle with a big scope, a tripod and some ammo. Can you help me out?” And the counselor, doesn’t offer counseling rather than a weapon???? This is in the context of a widely publicized case, where PARENTS WERE PROSECUTED for helping their school shooter son, get a gun....


39 posted on 07/16/2024 5:07:01 AM PDT by mission9 (It is by the fruit ye shall know.)
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To: PIF

The NSA, has the biggest building in UTAH, collecting ALL THAT DATA.


40 posted on 07/16/2024 5:08:10 AM PDT by mission9 (It is by the fruit ye shall know.)
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