FBI officials told Congress on Wednesday that the 20-year-old who shot former President Donald Trump may have posted a warning on Steam before the attack, but x.com/snlyngaas/status/1813960926011523214″>CNN Now he is reporting that investigators believe the account is fake.
FBI investigators “gained access” to Thomas Matthew Crooks’ phone earlier this week and have been reviewing it to determine his motive and piece together a timeline of events. In a briefing with members of Congress on Wednesday, FBI officials said Crooks had used his phone and other devices to search for information and images about Trump and President Joe Biden, and that he left a cryptic message on Steam announcing the shooting, according to FBI reports. New York Times and ABC News.
“July 13th will be my debut, watch how it plays out,” reads the message, which investigators told Congress was posted by Crooks. But the FBI has since “revised its assessment,” according to CNNby Sean Lyngaas.
The edge has contacted the FBI and Valve, the company that owns and operates Steam, for comment.
Crooks also sought out the dates of Trump’s public appearances and the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, according to multiple reports. In addition to Trump and Biden, Crooks sought out several prominent figures, including FBI Director Christopher Wray, Attorney General Merrick Garland and a member of the British royal family, two officials with knowledge of the situation told the newspaper. New York Times.
Crooks' phone is “one of several devices” that police have obtained and are scanning, sources said. ABC NewsInvestigators are also reviewing Crooks' mail and shipping history after finding three explosive devices linked to him, according to a federal law enforcement memo obtained by the New York TimesThe criminals received multiple packages over the past few months, some of which were marked as “hazardous material.”
So far, none of the information authorities have obtained about Crooks points to a clear motive. New York TimesWray noted that there was “no political or ideological information” in Crooks’ home.
On a call with members of Congress, Kimberly Cheatle, the head of the Secret Service, told lawmakers that the agency had made “serious mistakes,” according to the New York TimesIt appears the FBI, which is still in the early stages of its investigation, may have made some mistakes as well.
