Trump shooter’s chilling post before attack: July 13 will be my premiere

Days before climbing on the roof and attempting to assassinate former United States President Donald Trump, Thomas Mathew Crooks wrote a chilling message on his social media handle, signalling his sinister plans.

“July 13 will be my premiere; watch as it unfolds,” the 20-year-old assassin allegedly wrote on Steam, a popular online platform where gamers communicate with each other, Fox News reported, while citing Secret Service and FBI officials briefing US senators.

The forewarning message was unearthed as investigators continue to review the shooter’s technological equipment, including his mobile and laptop.

During searches, it was discovered that the 20-year-old had photos of Donald Trump and President Joe Biden on his mobile, along with the searched schedule of the Democratic National Convention and Trump’s Pennsylvania rally, The New York Post reported while quoting sources.

Their investigation into the gunman’s search history did not clarify which side of the political spectrum Crooks — a registered Republican — aligned with, according to ABC News, which first reported this finding.

Crooks, who was fatally shot seconds after targeting the former president, had two cell phones. The primary phone was recovered near his body, while the secondary phone, found at his home, contained just 27 contacts, as reported by Fox.

Details of his search history emerged alongside news that there was a 20-minute gap between when Secret Service snipers first identified Crooks on a roof with a rifle and when he started firing at the former president.

NBC reported a full timeline of the incident, indicating that Thomas Crooks was identified as a person of interest at 5:10 pm, spotted by a rangefinder at 5:30 pm, then spotted on the roof by the Secret Service at 5:52 pm and that he fired shots at 6:12 pm.