Trump assassination attempt may lead to more violence, ex-FBI agent warns

A former FBI agent has expressed concern that the assassination attempt against former president Donald Trump may generate further violence.

On Saturday, Trump, 78, had just begun a campaign speech in Butler, Pennsylvania, about 30 miles (50 km) north of Pittsburgh, when shots rang out, hitting the former president’s right ear and streaking his face with blood.

“Fight! Fight! Fight!” Trump mouthed to supporters, pumping his fist, as Secret Service agents rushed him away. His campaign said he was doing well and appeared to have suffered no major injury besides a wound on his upper right ear.

In an interview, former FBI special agent Michael Tabman expressed concern that two types of people may emerge following the assassination attempt: those who may try to hurt Trump again, and those who may seek revenge, possibly targeting President Joe Biden.

“My concern is … you’re going to have two types of people sitting on the precipice of violence. You’re going to have one that’s going to say, ‘gee, I need to pick up where this guy left off, this is my calling.’ Or someone else will interpret this as their calling to seek revenge, and, you know, maybe shoot at President Biden or somebody else,” Tabman said.

The FBI identified 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, as the suspect in what it called an attempted assassination. He was a registered Republican, according to state voter records, and had made a $15 donation to a Democratic political action committee at the age of 17.

Law enforcement officials told reporters they had not yet identified a motive for the attack. Both Republicans and Democrats will be looking for evidence of Crooks’ political affiliation as they seek to cast the rival party as representing extremism.

Tabman speculated that Crooks was a lone wolf but cautioned against presumption.

The shooting occurred less than four months before the Nov. 5 election, when Trump faces an election rematch with Biden. Most opinion polls show the two locked in a close contest.

Secret Service agents fatally shot the suspect, the agency said, after he opened fire from the roof of a building about 150 yards (140 m) from the stage where Trump was speaking.

One person who attended the rally was killed and two other spectators were critically wounded, the Secret Service said.