By Luis De Jesus
26 Jul 2024, 23:55 PM EDT
The FBI confirmed Friday that a bullet hit former President and Republican candidate Donald Trump in the ear during an assassination attempt nearly two weeks ago.
“What struck former President Trump in the ear was a bullet, either whole or fragmented into smaller pieces, fired from the deceased subject’s rifle,” the agency said in its statement.
The update came after Donald Trump criticized FBI Director Christopher Wray for testifying earlier this week that it was still unclear whether the Republican politician was hit by a bullet or another object at his rally in Pennsylvania.
Trump responded on Truth Social: “I guess this is the best apology we will ever get from Director Wray, but we fully accept it,” accompanying the text of the FBI statement.
Butler Memorial Hospital, where Trump was treated on the day of the shooting, has yet to release any medical reports on the presidential candidate’s injury, its cause or the treatment he received.
The assassination attempt was carried out by a 20-year-old man during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. The attacker shot the former president with an assault rifle from a distance of about 150 meters from the stage.
What happened after the attack on Donald Trump?
Republican Senator Chuck Grassley shared a video on Wednesday recorded by a security guard’s body camera showing the lifeless body of Thomas Crooks, the shooter responsible for wounding Donald Trump during a rally in Pennsylvania on July 13.
Grassley said on Twitter that his goal in releasing the images was to provide “transparency” and accountability for security failures that allowed the 20-year-old to hide on the roof of a building near Trump’s rally without being detected.
Crooks managed to fire several shots, killing one attendee and wounding two others, in addition to the Republican candidate.
The video, captured by an agent’s body camera on the roof where Crooks was found, shows a Secret Service member discussing details of the incident with several officers to report back to Washington.
Thomas Matthew Crooks fired eight shots before being shot dead by security forces. The bullet casings were found on the roof where he was positioned.
Wray said the FBI will continue to work “tirelessly to get to the bottom of what happened.” He added that they are using all available resources for criminal and national security, and that the understanding of what happened will continue to evolve as the investigations progress.
He also called the attempted assassination of Trump an attack on democracy and the democratic process, and said political violence of any kind will not be tolerated. He also noted that the shooter used a drone to determine the best position to shoot from outside the security perimeter, two hours before the start of the rally.
He also revealed that three explosive devices were recovered: two in Crooks’ vehicle and one in his residence, all with receivers that could have allowed them to be detonated remotely.
Keep reading:
• FBI confirms Trump attacker flew drone for 11 minutes before firing
• FBI Director Addresses House of Representatives Following Trump Assassination
• Secret Service director resigns over Trump attack