FBI Director Christopher Wray revealed on Wednesday that the agency has “recovered three [explosive] devices, two, in his vehicle and one back in his residence,” during the investigation into Trump rally shooter Thomas Matthew Crooks.
“I would say these are relatively… crude devices themselves. But they did have the ability to be detonated remotely. In addition to the two devices that we recovered out of his vehicle, there were receivers for those two explosive devices with the devices. And then on the shooter himself, when he was killed by law enforcement, he had a transmitter with him,” Wray revealed during testimony before the House Judiciary Committee.
“Now, I do want to add one important point here is that at the moment… it looks like because of the on on/off position on the receivers, that if he had tried to detonate those devices from the roof, it would not have worked. But that doesn’t mean the explosives weren’t dangerous,” Wray said.
Wray also added: “We have recovered a drone that the shooter appears to have used. It’s being exploited and analyzed by the FBI lab. The drone was recovered in his vehicle. So at the time of the shooting the drone was in his vehicle with the controller.”
On the day of the shooting, Wray informed the House Judiciary Committee that “it appears” Crooks was operating the drone 200 yards from the Trump rally stage. The incident occurred between 3:50 and 4 p.m. local time. As the campaign event began at 6:11 p.m., Trump was struck by gunfire.
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Trump spoke about the attack at the Republican National Convention, saying it would be the last time he publicly recounted the attack because it was “too painful.”
“As you already know, the assassin’s bullet came within a quarter of an inch of taking my life. So many people have asked me what happened, tell us what happened, please. And therefore I will tell you exactly what happened and you will never hear it from me a second time, because it is actually too painful to tell,” Trump said.
“It was a warm, beautiful day in the early evening in Butler Township in the great Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Music was loudly playing and the campaign was doing really well. I went to the stage, and the crowd was cheering wildly. Everybody was happy. I began speaking very strongly, powerfully, and happily,” he added.
Trump then described how he turned his head at the last second, which likely saved his life as a bullet whizzed by, grazing his right ear.
“In order to see the chart, I started to, like this, turn to my right and was ready to begin a little bit further turn, which I am very lucky I didn’t do. When I heard a loud, whizzing sound and felt something hit me really, really hard,” Trump said. “On my right ear. I said to myself, wow, what was that? It can only be a bullet.”
“I immediately knew it was very serious that we were under attack and in one movement proceeded to drop to the ground. Bullets were continuing to fly as very brave Secret Service agents rushed to the stage and they really did, they rushed to the stage. These are great people. At great risk, I will tell you. And pounced on top of me, so that I would be protected,” he continued.
“There was blood pouring everywhere, and yet, in a certain way, I felt very safe because I had God on my side. I felt that. The amazing thing is that prior to the shot, if I had not moved my head at that very last instant, the assassin’s bullet would have perfectly hit its mark.”
Trump added: “I am not supposed to be here tonight. I’m not supposed to be here.”
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Trump recounts the assassination attempt
“There was blood pouring everywhere and yet in a certain way I felt very safe because I had God on my side”
Most powerful acceptance speech of all time pic.twitter.com/Rowarp0TwR
— johnny maga (@_johnnymaga) July 19, 2024
The former president also acknowledged that one of his supporters was killed while two more were seriously wounded.
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