Trump's assassin searched online for John F. Kennedy assassination

(Patria) - A twenty-year-old man suspected of attempting to assassinate former US President Donald Trump searched the internet for the assassination of John F. Kennedy on the day he registered for his campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, said FBI Director Christopher Wray.

- Analysis of a laptop that the investigation links to the attacker revealed that on July 6, he searched Google for information about "how far (Lee Harvey) Oswald was from Kennedy" - Wray said in testimony before the House Judiciary Committee.

Wray states that the suspect, Thomas Crooks, did this on the same day he registered for the rally in Butler, adding that he then became "very focused on President Trump and his campaign rally".

Former President Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Texas, on November 22, 1963, by Lee Harvey Oswald.

Wray said that Crooks, a nursing home aide, fired at least eight rounds from the roof near the rally on July 13, hitting the Republican presidential candidate in the ear, killing one rally attendee, and injuring two others.

- Crooks used an AR-15 rifle with a folding stock, which would explain why it might have been harder for people to notice - Wray said.

The motive for the assassination attempt remains unknown. Wray explained that many people described Crooks as a loner and that the contact list on his phone was short.

Wray also told lawmakers that Crooks operated a drone about 180 meters from the stage where Trump was addressing the crowd and live-streamed for approximately 11 minutes about two hours before the event.

He said that primitive explosive devices designed for remote detonation were found in Crooks' car and home.

Crooks had a transmitter with him at the time of the shooting, Wray added. However, he said the FBI believes the suspect would not have succeeded in detonating the devices had he attempted to do so.