Donald Trump shooter Thomas Matthew Crooks researched and downloaded images of Kate Middleton, FBI reveals
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BUTLER, PENNSYLVANIA: According to the FBI, Thomas Matthew Crooks, the young man who attempted to assassinate former president Donald Trump, apparently researched Princess Kate Middleton online.
The 20-year-old Trump shooter allegedly had an unsettling obsession with British aristocracy, especially with the Princess of Wales, who is currently undergoing cancer treatment.
Thomas Matthew Crooks reportedly searched for and downloaded images of Kate Middleton
According to reports, the FBI found a concerning pattern after accessing Thomas Matthew Crook's electronic devices.
After examining Crooks' home and seizing his electronic gadgets following his attack in Pennsylvania last Saturday, July 13, US police discovered his apparent obsession with the British monarch.
FBI investigation of Crooks' two phones and laptop revealed that he had downloaded images of Middleton.
Since beginning her cancer treatment this year, the Princess of Wales has made very few public appearances. There is no proof that Crooks intended to visit the UK.
The identity of the Royal whose pictures were on Crooks's cell phone had previously been withheld by the agency. However, American station NPR claimed that during a phone briefing regarding the incident, politicians mentioned Kate's name, per The Mirror.
With ties to both the Democratic and Republican parties, Crooks had looked through pictures of prominent public figures such as President Joe Biden, FBI Director Christopher A Wray, Attorney General Merrick B Garland, and Trump.
He also looked into the locations and times of their public appearances, and one of Trump's rallies was held not far from Crooks' house, per OK! Magazine.
The reason behind Crooks' quest for Kate, the only non-American in the group of individuals discovered in his search history, is still unknown.
King Charles privately wrote to Donald Trump following the attempted assassination
Following Trump's attempted assassination, King Charles sent a letter to the former president, which was delivered by the British Embassy in Washington DC, per Daily Mail.
The monarch—who survived his own assassination attempt in 1994—allegedly denounced the acts of violence, offered his sympathies to the bereaved and their families, and wished a speedy recuperation to the gunman's victims as well as the former president.
A shooter opened fire on the then Prince of Wales twice while he was in Sydney giving a speech at an Australia Day event. Later on, it was discovered to be a blank-loaded starter pistol.
The US Secret Service was under intense scrutiny about how a shooter was able to get close enough to shoot the former president.
Crooks' use of a rangefinder—a tool frequently used in long-range shooting to pinpoint a target—during his security check, raised suspicions initially. He got past security because he was not carrying a weapon, but officials warned them to keep a watch on him.
After he was spotted mounting a neighboring structure, participants alerted authorities. Terrifying video from the protest captured him prowling outside a protected area almost one hour before gunfire broke out.
The Secret Service declared Crooks "neutralized" after he opened fire on the former president on Saturday, July 13, during an outdoor campaign rally in Bulter County, Pennsylvania, killing one of Trump's supporters.
