A Steam account that was reportedly linked to the Trump rally gunman does not belong to him, according to a U.S. official close to the ongoing investigation.
Three law enforcement sources told ABC that Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, wrote on the gaming platform Steam: “July 13 will be my premiere, watch as it unfolds.” The sources also claimed Crooks conducted internet searches related to Trump and President Joe Biden — including searches for the dates of Trump’s campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, and those of the Democratic National Convention.
An unnamed U.S. official told CNN that the FBI told senators on Wednesday that it believed the Steam account was Crooks’. However, the agency has stepped back on those statements and stressed that the investigation is in its early stages.
Authorities seized Crooks’ phone following Saturday’s shooting in Butler, Pennsylvania. Trump was on stage when he was grazed in the ear; an attendee was fatally shot.
Crooks — who was fatally shot by a Secret Service agent — was reportedly stationed on a roof 130 yards from where Trump was speaking. Officials said Secret Service snipers had spotted Crooks on the roof 20 minutes before he opened fire.
Sources also told ABC that searching Crooks’ phone did not provide a glimpse into his political views. A motive remains unconfirmed.
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[Featured image: Thomas Crooks/2020 High School Yearbook Photo]