The FBI is still trying to clarify the reasons why Thomas Matthew Crooks tried to assassinate Donald Trumpwhen he held a rally last Saturday in Pennsylvania. The agency, however, already has been able to access the author’s phone of the shots and has questioned up to a hundred witnesses of the attack.

However, questions remain about what motivated the attempted murder and how was it possible for a 20-year-old to climb onto a roof and shoot up to eight times before shot down by Secret Service agents.

Meanwhile, the Secretary of Homeland Security of the United States, Alejandro Mayorkas, admitted this Monday on ‘CNN’ that there was a “failure” in security around the former Republican president, who reappeared on Monday with his ear bandaged at his party’s National Convention. “When I say that something like this cannot happen, we are talking about a failure,” acknowledged Mayorkas, who as head of Homeland Security has under his baton the Secret Service, in charge of protecting US politicians.

What is known about the shooter

For now, the only thing that is known is that the author of the attack, Thomas Crooks, 20, acted alone and used a AR-15 semi-automatic rifle that had been legally purchased by his father in 201311 years ago, a source familiar with the investigation told The Washington Post on Monday.

As for his political affiliation, Crooks is known to have been registered as a Republican voterHowever, electoral records show that someone with his name and address made a ballot in 2021 $15 donation to the Progressive Participation Projecta democratic organization.

In a statement, the FBI announced Monday that it had succeeded access crooks phoneso now the agents will be able to access the communications that he had in the moments before the attack. They are also analyzing other electronic devices that belonged to the accused. In addition, the agents are currently analyzing in their offices in Quantico (Virginia) the bomb making material which was found in the attacker’s vehicle and residence.

So far, the FBI has conducted about 100 interviews with law enforcement personnel who were at the rally when Trump was attacked, as well as attendees at that event and other witnesses, the statement said.

Possible security flaws

The attempted assassination of Donald Trump, the first such incident since the one he suffered Ronald Reagan in 1981, has raised important questions about the possible failures in security protocols of the Secret Service and has caused the Joe Biden Government to announce a independent investigation.

According to NBC, the Secret Service had identified him as a potential security risk days ago. the roof the author climbed onto of the attack, which was just 150 yards from where Trump was scheduled to speak at the rally but outside the event’s security perimeter. The Secret Service has said security for the building from which Crooks fired was the responsibility of local authorities, although the county attorney has denied this version.

In turn, Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle said in an interview on ABC that local authorities were in charge of securing the building and that the local police were inside while Crooks was on the roof. In that interview, Cheatle took “responsibility” for the incident as head of the agency, but said she would remain in her position.

Safety devices for candidates

As the investigation continues and amid concerns about possible similar incidents, President Biden has ordered the presidential candidate to be provided with a Secret Service device Robert Kennedy Jr. and reinforce Trump’s.

As Secretary Mayorkas explained in a press conference at the White House, among the improvements to Trump’s protection are measures for the Republican National Conventionwhich started this Monday in Milwaukee (Wisconsin), such as increased fencing around the venue and recognition technology.

Kennedy Jr., who is running as an independent against Trump and Biden, said months ago that he had been denied a request for Secret Service protection. On Sunday, in the wake of the Trump assassination, two lawmakers, Republican Mike Lawler and Democrat Ritchie Torres, announced they would introduce a bill to provide “enhanced Secret Service protection” for Biden, Trump and RFK Jr. during the campaign.