Trump to be interviewed by FBI over assassination attempt

FBI officials said on Monday former US President Donald Trump agreed to be interviewed as a victim of the assassination attempt against him. 

Earlier this month at an election campaign rally in the northeastern state of Pennsylvania, Thomas Matthews Crooks fired eight shots from an assault rifle which hit and injured the former president, killed someone in attendance, while wounding several others.

 

Why will the FBI interview Trump?

In an update about the probe into the attack, FBI special agent Kevin Rojek said the interview with Trump would be "a standard victim interview like we would do for any other victim of crime under any other circumstances."

"We want to get his perspective on what he observed," Rojek said.

The interview will take place on Thursday, Trump said in an interview with broadcaster Fox News on Monday.

Motive not yet known

FBI officials said they had still not determined the motive behind the attack by the 20-year-old gunman, who was shot dead by a Secret Service sniper after opening fire at Trump's event. 

The FBI has also not identified any co-conspirators.

"We have learned the subject was highly intelligent, attended college and maintained steady employment," Rojek said.

"His primary social circle appears to be limited to his immediate family as we believe he had few friends and acquaintances."

Shooter researched Slovakia PM assassination attempt

Rojek said the shooter had searched online for information about power plants, mass shootings and improvised explosive devices, as well as the recent attempted assassination of Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico.

Last week, FBI Director Christopher Wray told US lawmakers that the gunman had searched online for details about the 1963 shooting of then-US president John F. Kennedy. 

fb/jsi (AFP, AP)