The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) said that the agency will probe the assassination attempt on Donald Trump as an act of "domestic terrorism". It further noted that the gunman who shot at the presidential nominee at an election rally acted alone.
"At this point in the investigation, it appears that he was a lone actor, but we still have more investigation to go," a top FBI official said. Thomas Matthew Crooks, a 20-year-old nursing home aide, fired 8 rounds of bullets at Trump while he was addressing an election rally in Pennsylvania.
As a result of the attack, Trump got injured in his right ear. Two other attendees were also critically wounded before the 20-year-old was taken down by the Secret Service. Snipers of the Secret Service, however, killed the shooter and the FBI is yet to identify the motive behind the attempt on Donald Trump's life.
Witnesses saw the gunman before the shooting and alerted authorities. One of the Trump supporters reported seeing the attacker on a nearby building.
The initial FBI probe revealed than an QR-style 556 rifle was legally bought and the agency believes it was purchased by the shooter's father. The officials said that "a suspicious device" was found in the suspect's vehicle, which was inspected by bomb experts and rendered safe.
Sajid Tarar, a Pakistani-American and a member of the Maryland delegation at the Republic National Convention in Milwaukee, said that the assassination attempt against Trump was an attack on democracy. He further said claimed that Trump escaped by a "milli-inch" as bullet was fired from 130 yards.
"Federal agencies had the responsibility of security. Joe Biden had the opportunity to bind the nation. Intelligence agencies reports stated that a picture is being drawn about Donald Trump being a threat to democracy. He is being equated to Hitler. Trump has been accusing Barack Obama, Joe Biden for the present international situation," Tarar told newswire PTI.