Why does the FBI want to interview Donald Trump about the assassination attempt?
The former president has said he will assist law enforcement by recounting the events of the dramatic shooting earlier in July.
Former President Donald Trump is set to be interviewed by the FBI as part of an investigation into the assassination attempt against him during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania on 13 July.
The FBI’s decision to interview Trump is standard protocol when dealing with victims, aiming to gather insights from them regarding the incident.
Here's FBI Director Wray today testifying that "there's some question about whether or not it's a bullet or shrapnel that hit [Trump's] ear" pic.twitter.com/9WWtbkzbCz
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) July 24, 2024
The assassination attempt involved a shooter, identified as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, who fired at Trump, injuring him with a bullet or a fragment. The attack also resulted in the death of a bystander, Corey Comperatore, and left several others injured. A motive has yet to be determined.
Trump, along with other Republicans, questioned FBI Director Christopher Wray’s leadership following the shooting.
Trump wrote on Truth Social, “No wonder the once storied FBI has lost the confidence of America!” after Wray claimed it could not be determined if a bullt or shrapnel had hit the former president.
FBI Director Wray: "On July 6, he [the Trump shooter] did a Google search for quote 'How far away was Oswald from Kennedy?'"
— Ken Klippenstein 📎 (@kenklippenstein) July 24, 2024
"That is the same day that it appears he registered for the Butler rally." pic.twitter.com/5ESdxiL7PV
What is a victim interview?
Kevin Rojek, the special agent in charge of the FBI’s Pittsburgh field office, emphasized that the interview aims to understand Trump’s perspective on what he observed during the shooting.
A standard victim interview is a structured process used to gather information from individuals who have experienced a crime. This type of interview aims to collect accurate and comprehensive accounts of the events surrounding the crime without putting the victim under any suspicion, like another police interview could be conducted.