Donald Trump Would-Be Assassin ‘Scoped Out’ Royal Family Member and Wanted to Wipe Out Prez Biden, Attorney-General AND FBI Director
![Composite image of Thomas Matthew Crooks](https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/44WWYy7Yb/480x251/crooks-1721251800205.jpg 480w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/44WWYy7Yb/640x335/crooks-1721251800205.jpg 640w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/44WWYy7Yb/768x402/crooks-1721251800205.jpg 768w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/44WWYy7Yb/1024x536/crooks-1721251800205.jpg 1024w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/44WWYy7Yb/1280x670/crooks-1721251800205.jpg 1280w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/44WWYy7Yb/1440x753/crooks-1721251800205.jpg 1440w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/44WWYy7Yb/1600x837/crooks-1721251800205.jpg 1600w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/44WWYy7Yb/2160x1130/crooks-1721251800205.jpg 2160w)
Crooks' phone and computer search history revealed he set his sights on Biden, AG Merrick Garland, FBI Director Christopher Wray and an unnamed member of the Royal family.
July 18 2024, Published 1:34 p.m. ET
Thomas Matthew Crooks appeared to have had multiple murders on his mind.
RadarOnline.com can reveal the 20-year-old who attempted to assassinate Donald Trump at his Pennsylvania rally also researched other high-profile targets. FBI investigators accessed Crooks’ cellphone and computer and discovered he had images of both Trump and President Joe Biden on his devices.
![Photo of would-be Donald Trump assassin Thomas Matthew Crooks.](https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/VTYaBOQZ2/480x252/thomas-matthew-crooks-1200-1720959192868.jpg 480w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/VTYaBOQZ2/640x335/thomas-matthew-crooks-1200-1720959192868.jpg 640w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/VTYaBOQZ2/768x402/thomas-matthew-crooks-1200-1720959192868.jpg 768w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/VTYaBOQZ2/1024x536/thomas-matthew-crooks-1200-1720959192868.jpg 1024w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/VTYaBOQZ2/1280x670/thomas-matthew-crooks-1200-1720959192868.jpg 1280w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/VTYaBOQZ2/1440x754/thomas-matthew-crooks-1200-1720959192868.jpg 1440w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/VTYaBOQZ2/1600x838/thomas-matthew-crooks-1200-1720959192868.jpg 1600w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/VTYaBOQZ2/2160x1131/thomas-matthew-crooks-1200-1720959192868.jpg 2160w)
When asked questions about his son and why he wanted to kill Trump, his father, Brian Matthew Crooks said he would not be making any comment and would release a statement when the family's legal counsel told them to.
The would-be assassin had recorded the dates of the current Republican National Convention and the Democratic National Convention, scheduled to take place from Aug. 19-22 in Chicago.
Crooks also spent time looking online at Attorney General Merrick Garland, FBI Director Christopher Wray, and even ‘scoped out’ an unnamed member of the Royal family, the FBI revealed.
While there has not yet been any further information on the Royal targeted, as Radar previously reported, King Charles sent a private message to Trump following the assassination attempt.
![A photo of King Charles III.](https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/K8UBsk6Fg/480x252/king-charles-1-1721322368418.jpg 480w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/K8UBsk6Fg/640x335/king-charles-1-1721322368418.jpg 640w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/K8UBsk6Fg/768x402/king-charles-1-1721322368418.jpg 768w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/K8UBsk6Fg/1024x536/king-charles-1-1721322368418.jpg 1024w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/K8UBsk6Fg/1280x670/king-charles-1-1721322368418.jpg 1280w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/K8UBsk6Fg/1440x754/king-charles-1-1721322368418.jpg 1440w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/K8UBsk6Fg/1600x838/king-charles-1-1721322368418.jpg 1600w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/K8UBsk6Fg/2160x1131/king-charles-1-1721322368418.jpg 2160w)
While the name of the Royal family member Crooks 'scoped out' has not been revealed, King Charles sent Donald Trump a private message following the assassination attempt.
According to a report, Charles' correspondence with Trump will remain private, but his sentiments paralleled British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer— who was "appalled" by the ordeal.
While investigators are still trying to determine a motive behind the assassination attempt, Crooks was caught on video lurking in the background of the rally at least an hour before he shot at the former president.
The footage was recorded by an event attendee and showed a man matching Crooks' description pacing the perimeter near the building he later climbed to fire at Trump.
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![A photo of President Joe Biden grimacing.](https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/CxyKKfnsp/480x252/joe-biden-tests-positive-covid-end-campaign-medical-condition3-1721261749137.jpg 480w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/CxyKKfnsp/640x335/joe-biden-tests-positive-covid-end-campaign-medical-condition3-1721261749137.jpg 640w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/CxyKKfnsp/768x402/joe-biden-tests-positive-covid-end-campaign-medical-condition3-1721261749137.jpg 768w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/CxyKKfnsp/1024x536/joe-biden-tests-positive-covid-end-campaign-medical-condition3-1721261749137.jpg 1024w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/CxyKKfnsp/1280x670/joe-biden-tests-positive-covid-end-campaign-medical-condition3-1721261749137.jpg 1280w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/CxyKKfnsp/1440x754/joe-biden-tests-positive-covid-end-campaign-medical-condition3-1721261749137.jpg 1440w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/CxyKKfnsp/1600x838/joe-biden-tests-positive-covid-end-campaign-medical-condition3-1721261749137.jpg 1600w, https://media.radaronline.com/brand-img/CxyKKfnsp/2160x1131/joe-biden-tests-positive-covid-end-campaign-medical-condition3-1721261749137.jpg 2160w)
President Joe Biden vowed to continue his campaign despite his poor debate performance.
Investigators also managed to piece together Crooks’ final moments. He was found with a remote-control detonator in his pocket and reportedly locked eyes with a Secret Service sniper through his rangefinder just before his death.
According to John Miller, CNN's Chief Law Enforcement and Intelligence Analyst, there was an "eerie moment" before Crooks opened fire in which he was using the rangefinder to locate law enforcement counter snipers, who recalled the shooter "looking at us looking at him".
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