Donald Trump, after surviving an apparent assassination attempt in Pennsylvania on Saturday, will be heading to Milwaukee for the Republican National Convention this week as planned, the former president said Sunday.
The statement came as the FBI identified the shooter who opened fire on Trump and attendees on Saturday at a campaign rally in Butler, PA.
Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, of Bethel Park, PA, was the shooting suspect killed by Secret Service agents on July 13 after the shots rang out. The motive for the shooting remains unknown and under investigation; law enforcement sources said he used an AR-style weapon.
According to the Associated Press, records revealed that Crooks was a registered Republican in Pennsylvania — but he gave a $15 donation to a progressive political action committee on Jan. 20, 2021, the day President Joe Biden was sworn into office.
As for Biden, he vehemently condemned the act of political violence on Saturday in a brief address to the nation. He also said he had a good, but brief conversation with Trump, his opponent in the presidential campaign.
On Sunday, Biden ordered the Secret Service to conduct a full review of all security for the Republican National Convention this week, and an independent review into the detail established for the Trump rally in Butler, PA.
“An assassination attempt is contrary to everything we stand for as a nation. Everything. It’s not who we are as a nation. It’s not American. And we cannot allow this to happen,” Biden said in remarks Sunday afternoon. “Unity is the most elusive goal of all, but nothing is more important than that right now.”
After being treated for an apparent graze wound to his right ear, Trump left Pennsylvania and returned to Bedminster, NJ to spend the night at his golf club. On Sunday morning, he said in a Truth social media post that he looked forward “to speaking to our great nation this week from Wisconsin.”
“We will FEAR NOT, but instead remain resilient in our Faith and Defiant in the face of Wickedness,” he said.
Trump also said, “Our love goes out to the other victims and their families” and he said he’s praying “for the recovery of those who were wounded, and hold in our hearts the memory of the citizen who was so horribly killed.”
“In this moment, it is more important than ever that we stand United, and show our True Character as Americans, remaining Strong and Determined, and not allowing Evil to Win,” he added.
The man who was killed at the was Corey Comperatore, according to Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro. Comperatore was a former fire chief from the area who loved his family, Shapiro said.
“Corey died a hero. Corey dove on his family to protect them last night,” the governor said.
President Biden also lauded Comperatore for sacrificing his life to save his family.
Two law enforcement officials tell The Associated Press investigators believe the weapon was bought by Crooks’ father at least six months ago.
The officials said federal agents were still working to understand when and how Crooks obtained the gun and gather additional information about him as they worked to try to identify a possible motive. The investigation is focused on Crooks. The officials were not authorized to publicly discuss details of the investigation and spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity.
The shooter’s family is cooperating with federal investigators, according to an FBI official.
The range from which Crooks fired and his clothing led to early speculation that the shooter had military experience. However, all the branches of the military searched their records Sunday and said in response to a query by The Associated Press that they had no records of him serving.
This story will be updated as new details emerge in the ongoing investigation.
