The man who attempted to assassinate President Donald Trump during a 2024 presidential election rally sent mysterious text messages about a 3D printer in the months before the shooting, according to newly reported records.
Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, was texting someone who the FBI called an ‘unknown contact,’ per records obtained by Judicial Watch through a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit.
The FBI records included a conversation on February 9, 2023, in which Crooks was asked by the other person, ‘did you 3d print the parts?’
‘Yes, except for the fan blades,’ Crooks responded hours later, per records obtained by the organization.
The review containing Crooks’ messages about 3D printing was dated July 18, 2024, and said the messages were extracted from a Samsung mobile phone.
It noted that the conversations had been deemed ‘pertinent’ to the investigation about the assassination attempt on Trump on July 13 of that year, per the obtained records.
Crooks’ father, Matthew Crooks, told investigators that his son owned a 3D printer and had once tried to create a handgun, the New York Post reported.
‘Using carbon fiber plastic, a dryer and a toaster oven, Thomas did once create a Glock 19,’ Matthew told investigators, per the outlet.
Attempted Trump killer Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, was exchanging text messages about 3D printing in February 2023, per FBI records obtained by Judicial Watch
Crooks’ conversations were marked as ‘pertinent’ to the investigation about the July 13, 2024, assassination attempt on Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania
The dad said he did not allow his son to use the gun after he fired a single round because of fears that the frame would explode.
In the obtained messages, Crooks said he had been ‘trying to save up money to move out’ after apparently confirming that he had printed ‘the parts.’
‘Apartments are too expensive though,’ Crooks added, before changing the topic to school.
A separate FBI communication concerning the investigation detailed a string of messages from May 22, 2023, made up of characters and one or two words that were difficult to immediately decipher.
The reported outgoing messages included: ‘Hello reddd Hello red Hello re d Gevegeg Hello Hdhdh Hello Hello Red red Hello red JjjjjJjJ Hhdj Jhhhuuh Hello’
Meanwhile, the incoming messages in that exchange obtained by the organization were completely redacted.
Records obtained by Judicial Watch also showed Crooks receiving a DHL Express shipment from Hong Kong in January 2023.
Crooks’ shipment was delivered, though the messages did not say where, that January 3 at 6.02pm.
Crooks’ father told investigators that his son owned a 3D printer and had once tried to create a handgun
An FBI laboratory report obtained by Judicial Watch added that eight flight logs from Crooks’ ‘commercial-off-the-shelf’ drone, which had video and audio capability, had been recovered.
The records obtained by the organization said Crooks’ drone had flown in the Butler, Pennsylvania, area on the day Trump was shot.
Then-FBI Director Christopher Wray had said Crooks flew a drone about 200 yards from the Trump rally stage for roughly 11 minutes, The Associated Press reported.
Crooks used the device to livestream and watch footage, according to Wray.
The drone flights before that happened in February in Bethel Park, Allegheny-West and New Eagle, all near Pittsburgh.
Judicial Watch’s records also included 40 images that had been extracted from Crooks’ drone.
The 56-page document said the images were taken between February 6, 2024, and February 27, 2024, in the Pittsburgh area.
The obtained records said eight flight logs and 40 images had been extracted from Crooks’ commercial drone
Records obtained by Judicial Watch also included texts from November and December 2022 with fundraising appeals for Raphael Warnock, the now-Georgia Senator who was then a Democratic candidate.
Tom Fitton, the president of Judicial Watch, said the records ‘reveal more pieces of the puzzle surrounding Thomas Crooks.’
‘The FBI should stop the slow drip of heavily redacted records and immediately provide the full investigative record,’ Fitton added. ‘Especially since the death last week of James Copenhaver, who was severely injured from being shot during the assassination attempt on President Trump.’
Copenhaver, a 76-year-old veteran, was hit in the arm and abdomen during the assassination attempt on Trump.
He died this September 23 though a family statement did not specify if his death was linked to those injuries, according to PBS.
Fire chief Corey Comperatore, 50, was shot and killed at the campaign rally while protecting his family from the gunfire.
The Daily Mail has reached out to the FBI for comment.
