Secret Service Investigates Shooter’s Steam Post Before Trump Rally Attack

Thomas Matthew Crooks, who shot at former President Donald Trump during a Pennsylvania rally, had posted a chilling message on the gaming platform Steam, stating, “July 13 will be my premiere, watch as it unfolds.” This message was found on his laptop, along with other search queries related to “Trump,” “Biden,” “when is the DNC convention,” and the “July 13 Trump rally.”

The discovery was made by police and reported by Fox News following a briefing by the Secret Service and FBI to senators. Authorities have not established a clear motive for Crooks’s actions, and no significant ideological evidence was found on his devices. However, a second cellphone with 27 contacts was found in Crooks’s possession, and these contacts are currently being investigated by the police.

Crooks, who was a registered Republican and last voted in 2022, had also made a small donation to a progressive organization in 2021. Further details revealed that Crooks had conducted reconnaissance around the Trump rally site on a bicycle, which he later abandoned near the building where he took shots at Trump. Law enforcement found his bike, along with a backpack, shoes, and a shirt nearby.

Before the attack, Crooks’s parents contacted law enforcement to report him missing and expressed concerns about his well-being. It remains uncertain if they had any knowledge of his intentions. The actions taken by law enforcement following this report have not been disclosed.

The incident has sparked multiple investigations into Crooks’s actions and the response of the Secret Service. Despite predictions that the shooting might significantly impact Trump’s polling numbers, no substantial changes have been observed, although Trump continues to maintain a lead over President Joe Biden. Calls for Biden to step down have been increasing amid this ongoing situation.