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FBI Director Christopher Wray found himself under intense scrutiny from United States lawmakers regarding the recent assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump during a rally in Pennsylvania earlier this month, Al Jazeera reported.
Addressing the House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday, Wray vowed that the FBI would leave "no stone unturned" in uncovering the truth behind the attack, which he described as "an attack on our democracy and our democratic process". "We will not and do not tolerate political violence of any kind, especially a despicable account of this magnitude," he said, adding, "And I want to assure you and the American people that the men and women of the FBI will continue to work tirelessly to get to the bottom of what happened." The shooting at Trump's rally on July 13 shocked the nation, resulting in the death of one attendee and leaving two others seriously injured. The assailant, identified as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, allegedly fired a shot that grazed Trump's ear from a rooftop position with a clear line of sight to the stage. The FBI swiftly labelled the incident as an act of domestic terrorism and an attempted assassination, although the motive behind Crooks's actions remained unclear, Al Jazeera. During his testimony, Wray disclosed significant details uncovered by the FBI's ongoing investigation. He revealed that a drone had been recovered from Crooks's vehicle, which was flown approximately 200 yards from the rally stage prior to the event. "We're going to leave no stone unturned. The shooter might be deceased, but the FBI's investigation is very much ongoing," the director said. The FBI's findings so far included unsettling discoveries on Crooks's phone, where investigators found photos of Trump, President Joe Biden, and other officials. Additionally, Crooks had reportedly researched the dates of the Democratic National Convention and Trump's scheduled appearances. However, despite piecing together a detailed timeline of Crooks's activities and online searches, the exact motive for targeting Trump remained elusive, Al Jazeera reported. "A lot of the usual repositories of information have not yielded anything notable in terms of motive or ideology," Wray said. The House Judiciary Committee, chaired by Republican Congressman Jim Jordan, pressed Wray on various aspects of the investigation, including security lapses at the rally site and the presence of explosives found in Crooks's vehicle. "We hope to learn more today from Director Wray about the shooter: his use of the drone, the explosives that were in his car, how he got on the roof and a host of other questions," Jordan said, adding, "It is our hope that Director Wray's testimony can begin to give answers to the American people about all these questions and concerns." Representative Jerry Nadler, the committee's ranking Democrat, "unequivocally and unabashedly" condemned the assassination attempt while contextualizing it within a broader narrative of political violence in America. "If you think that this one assassin's bullet was a bolt out of the blue and not part of a wave of violence that has threatened this nation for years, then you have missed the point," Nadler said. Wray's appearance before lawmakers came just a day after the resignation of US Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle, who faced significant criticism over security protocols at the Trump rally. The scrutiny extended to the FBI's handling of the investigation, with some lawmakers expressing skepticism over the bureau's assertion that Crooks acted without a clear ideological motive. Despite challenges and criticism, Wray affirmed the FBI's dedication to uncovering the truth, citing parallels to historical incidents of political violence in American history, Al Jazeera reported. (ANI)
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