Nikki Haley will speak at RNC
According to Associated Press, Former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley will speak Tuesday at the Republican National Convention in what will be a highly anticipated speech by former President Donald Trump’s last major challenger in this year’s GOP primary.
The convention will begin tomorrow (Monday) as previously planned.
Haley, who was also elected twice as South Carolina governor, initially was not among the list of speakers but has since been added to the schedule, according to Haley spokesperson Chaney Denton.
The schedule change was confirmed by a Republican official who is familiar with the convention plans but was not authorized to speak publicly.
More on attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump from Fox News:
Fast facts
- Former President Trump was shot at his rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday, July 13, 2024
- Trump ducked to the ground and was surrounded by Secret Service agents, who evacuated him from the scene. He later posted on Truth Social that a bullet “pierced the upper part of my right ear”
- Three spectators were hit by gunfire. One person was killed and two others critically injured, authorities said
- The FBI is investigating the shooting as an assassination attempt. The shooter has been identified as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks
A local police officer engaged the gunman who attempted to assassinate former President Trump on Saturday, according to the Associated Press.
The Associated Press reported on Sunday afternoon that a local officer climbed up to the roof of the structure where Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, was stationed. The officer reportedly engaged Crooks, who pointed his rifle at him.
When the officer retreated and Crooks fired shots at Trump, Secret Service agents shot Crooks, according to the report. The Associated Press reported that an official shared the details on the condition of anonymity.
Fox News Digital asked the Pennsylvania State Police about the report, but the agency is unable to confirm the details amid the investigation.
Suspected shooter at Trump rally was reportedly on high school rifle team
The suspected shooter at former President Trump’s rally in Pennsylvania Saturday was reportedly on his high school’s rifle team.
Fox News spoke with Jacob Kohler, 21, who talked about shooting suspect Thomas Matthew Crooks.
Kohler described Crooks as an “outcast” who was always alone and “bullied every day.” He said Crooks was on the rifle team with his brother.
The FBI says the shooting suspect used an AR-style 5.56 rifle, purchased legally. The weapon was located at the scene, adjacent to the shooting suspect who was killed by U.S. Secret Service members shortly after he fired upon Trump.
FBI looking into Trump assassination attempt as potential act of domestic terrorism
A deadly shooting at a rally for former President Trump is being investigating as a potential terrorism act, the FBI confirmed Sunday.
Kevin Rojek, special FBI agent in charge in Pittsburgh, said the information received by the FBI indicates that the shooter acted alone. The FBI has not confirmed a motive of the shooter.
Rojek confirmed that the gun use in Saturday’s shooting was an AR style 5.56 rifle, purchased legally and located at the scene adjacent to the shooter.
“Our number one goal here is to identify the motive of the subject and determine whether, he had any other associates or anyone else that was involved at this point. The investigation, it appears that he was a lone actor, but we still have more investigation to go,” Rojek said. “We are investigating this as a as an assassination attempt, but also looking at it a potential a domestic terrorism act.”
Rojek said there were no indications that the shooter had any mental health issues or any other red flags on his social media account.
At this time technical specialists are investigating all digital evidence and media as well as the suspect’s social media accounts. Lab services are processing DNA evidence as well as the shooter’s weapon.
Rojek said the FBI has several items of evidence that are being transported to the FBI lab at Quantico, Virginia for processing and exploitation, including the shooter’s weapon and phone.
Investigators are processing DNA evidence collected after the suspected gunman, Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, was killed, as well as the weapon used in the attack and his cell phone, authorities said.
The weapon, an “AR-style .556 rifle” purchased legally, was found near the shooter at the scene, Kevin Rojek, the special agent in charge of the FBI’s Pittsburgh field office, told reporters during an audio call with reporters.
The weapon was purchased by Crooks’ father but it was unclear how he gained access to it, the FBI said, noting that there was no indication the rifle was a so-called “straw purchase.”
During the search of Crooks’ vehicle, authorities found a “suspicious device” but it was rendered safe but was being analyzed further. Details about the device were not disclosed.
Investigators were also “urgently working” to gain access to the suspect’s cell phone.
Investigators haven’t determined a motive for the shooting but said there were no indications that Crooks had been treated for any mental health issues. His family is cooperating with the FBI.
The full force of the FBI is being utilized in the investigation into the attempted assassination of former President Trump, FBI Director Christopher Wray said.
“The shooter may be deceased but the investigation is ongoing,” Wray said. “What we witnessed yesterday was nothing short of an attack on democracy and our democratic process. An attempt to assassinate a presidential candidate can only be described as absolutely despicable and will not be tolerated in this country.”
As of Sunday, the FBI has received more than 2,000 tips related to their investigation.
President Biden Makes Comment on attempted assassination on Former President Donald Trump at Pennsylvania Rally
President Joe Biden urged people not to “make assumptions” about the Trump rally shooter’s “motives or affiliations” in remarks Sunday afternoon.
“We don’t yet have any information about the motive of the shooter,” Biden told reporters. “We know who he is. I urge everyone, everyone, please don’t make assumptions about his motives or his affiliations. Let the FBI do their job, and their partner agencies do their job.”
The remarks come after Biden was briefed by the FBI, Homeland Security, and the National Security Agency on Sunday. Biden said he instructed the Secret Service to thoroughly examine all of the Republican National Convention’s security measures ahead of its Monday kickoff. Former President Trump is scheduled to address delegates on Thursday evening — the last day of the convention — when he will officially be nominated as the Republican Party’s candidate to face off against Biden in the 2024 election.
“I directed an independent review of the national security at yesterday’s rally to assess exactly what happened and we’ll share the results of that independent review with the American people as well,” Biden said. “And finally, I’ll be speaking more about this tonight at greater length from the Oval Office. We must unite as one nation. We must unite as one nation to demonstrate who we are. So, may God bless you all and may God protect our troops.”
Biden did not take any questions from reporters following the update.
