Washington — FBI Director Christopher Wray is testifying at a hearing on the investigation into the assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump, and he is revealing new details about the gunman's actions in the lead-up to the July 13 shooting in Pennsylvania.
Wray told members of the House Judiciary Committee that the gunman, 20-year-old Thomas Crooks, flew a drone near the site of the rally roughly two hours before he opened fire. Wray said investigators recovered the drone in Crooks' vehicle, and the bureau believes he was watching video streamed from the device to scout the area.
The FBI chief also said agents recovered a total of three "relatively crude" explosive devices: two from Crooks' vehicle and one from his residence. Crooks had a transmitter that would have allowed him to detonate the devices remotely, but the receivers on the bombs in his car were turned off, Wray said.
Eight shell casings were found on the roof where Crooks opened fire, Wray confirmed. The gunman killed one attendee and wounded Trump and two others.
Investigators have managed to gain access to Crooks' phone, which Wray said was a "significant technical challenge." He said agents discovered Crooks was using encrypted messaging apps to communicate.
The FBI, which is investigating the shooting as a potential act of domestic terrorism, has not yet determined the gunman's motive. The security failures surrounding the shooting led to the resignation of Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle on Tuesday.
Here's the latest from the hearing:
Committee breaks for House votes
The committee is standing in recess so members can vote on the House floor. They plan to resume roughly 10 minutes after the last vote.
Wray reveals new details about shooter's drone, explosives and phone
Wray provided details to lawmakers about the drone recovered from Crooks' vehicle, as well as explosive devices found in his vehicle and residence and the shooter's use of encrypted messaging apps on his phone.
On the drone, Wray said the device and a controller were recovered from Crooks' car and are being analyzed by the FBI. He said that the shooter was flying the drone around the area — not over the stage, but roughly 200 yards away — around 3:50 p.m. or 4 p.m. local time on the day of the shooting.
"We think — but we do not know, so this is one of those things that is qualified because of our ongoing review — that he was live-streaming, viewing the footage" for roughly 11 minutes, Wray said.
The FBI director said the bureau recovered a total of three explosive devices, two from Crooks' vehicle and one from his residence. He called the devices "relatively crude" explosives. He said the explosives had receivers that could have allowed them to be detonated remotely. Crooks himself had a transmitter, Wray noted.
"At a moment, it looks like because of the on/off position on the receivers, that if he had tried to detonate those devices from the roof, it would not have worked, but that doesn't mean the explosives weren't dangerous," Wray said.
The FBI director said the FBI was able to get into Crooks' phone, which he said was a "significant technical challenge," and found Crooks was using encrypted messaging applications.
"On this subject, I would say this has unfortunately now become commonplace and it's a challenge" for the FBI and state and local law enforcement, he said.
Wray said the FBI is interviewing law enforcement from the scene of the attack.
Wray says any efforts to cut FBI's funding are "incredibly short-sighted"
Wray pushed back on some Republicans' threats to defund the FBI, calling cuts to its funding "incredibly short-sighted."
He warned that a decrease in the bureau's funding would harm local law enforcement.
Wray says FBI recovered 8 cartridges from roof at Trump rally
Rep. Dan Bishop, a North Carolina Republican, went first with questions and asked whether Crooks fired eight bullets before he was killed by a Secret Service sniper. Wray confirmed that there were eight cartridges on the roof and later confirmed that Crooks had a drone.
The FBI is still digging into how he was able to fire so many shots, Wray said. When asked why Trump was allowed on stage, Wray reiterated that the FBI's investigation is focused on the shooter and "all things related to his attack."
"Obviously I understand very much the intense interest and focus on the Secret Service's performance, actions, decision-making, etc.," Wray said, but he added that the FBI is looking into the shooter's motives, preparations before the shooting and whether there were any accomplices or co-conspirators.
The FBI director said the bureau has not found any accomplices "at this time," but noted the investigation is ongoing.
Wray calls attempted assassination "an attack on our democracy"
Wray was sworn in and delivered his opening statement, which began with condolences for Lee and the victims of the shooting in Butler, including Corey Comperatore, who was killed at the rally, and Trump, who was injured when a bullet grazed his ear.
"The attempted assassination of the former president was an attack on our democracy and our democratic process and we will not and do not tolerate political violence of any kind, especially a despicable account of this magnitude," Wray said.
The FBI director said that agents are working "tirelessly" to learn what happened at the rally and said the bureau is using all resources, criminal and national security, to do so.
"We're going to leave no stone unturned," he said. "The shooter may be deceased but the FBI's investigation is very much ongoing."
The FBI's investigation into the shooting is ongoing and its assessment of the shooter and his actions continue to evolve, Wray said, but he told lawmakers that he hopes to provide them "with all the information I can, given where we are at this point."
Wray's promise for transparency comes in the wake of former Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle's own appearance before the House Oversight and Accountability Committee on Monday, during which she repeatedly refused to answer questions and cited the FBI's investigation as the reason for her inability to provide lawmakers with information. She resigned Wednesday after lawmakers of both parties expressed frustration with her testimony.
Nadler "unequivocally" condemns shooting but rips Republicans for heated rhetoric
Nadler, the Judiciary Committee's top Democrat, delivered his own opening statement by noting that while he disagrees with Trump on nearly every issue, he denounces the shooting at his rally in Pennsylvania.
"I unequivocally and unabashedly condemn with every fiber of my being the attempt against his life," he said. "This was not just an attack on a man, but an attack on our democracy. Political violence erodes the very foundations of our nation."
The New York Democrat listed off recent violence targeting political leaders and said the attempted assassination of Trump should not be a surprise. He went on to accuse Republicans of continuing to use heated rhetoric, even in the wake of the shooting, and criticized his GOP colleagues for remaining silent about those comments.
Nadler apologized to Wray and said instead of supporting the FBI in its work, some Republicans have targeted the bureau and its agents and called for it to be defunded.
"It is despicable, especially from the party that claims to back the blue," he said.
Jordan wants transparency from Wray on questions about assassination attempt
In his opening statement, Jordan raised questions about the assassination attempt against Trump, including about Secret Service resources for the former president; what took place from the time Crooks, the shooter, was identified on the roof and when Trump was rushed off the stage; and why the former president was allowed to take the stage at the rally when Crooks had already been deemed suspicious by law enforcement.
"We need to know what happened play by play, moment by moment, second by second, the communications that took place during that critical five minutes," Jordan said.
He urged Wray to be transparent with the committee and the country.
"A significant portion of the country has a healthy skepticism" about the FBI's ability to conduct an open and transparent investigation, Jordan said, criticizing the Justice Department under President Biden.
Committee hearing kicks off with Jordan and Nadler remembering Sheila Jackson Lee
The Judiciary Committee's oversight hearing convened just after 10 a.m. with an opening statement from Jordan.
The Ohio Republican opened the hearing paying homage to Democratic Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee of Texas, who died Friday.
"She was just a pleasant spirit who we all enjoyed," Jordan said.
Rep. Jerry Nadler, the top Democrat on the committee, also offered remarks remembering Lee.
"We're better for having known her and the American people are better for having her in their corner for all these years," he said.
How to watch the FBI director's testimony
What: FBI Director Christopher Wray testifies about the bureau's investigation into the Trump assassination attempt
Date: Wednesday, July 24, 2024
Time: 10 a.m. ET
Location: Capitol Hill, in Washington, D.C.
Online stream: Live on CBS News in the player above and on your mobile or streaming device
Trump shooting investigations
There are several inquiries underway by Congress, law enforcement and federal agencies into the attempted assassination.
In addition to the FBI's criminal investigation, the Department of Homeland Security's internal watchdog and Secret Service are examining the security failures that allowed the attack to occur. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas has also appointed an independent panel to review the shooting.
House Speaker Mike Johnson and Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries are creating a bipartisan task force to look into what went wrong and make recommendations to prevent such an attack from ever happening again.
A handful of other congressional inquiries are also taking place.
Republicans have hostile relationship with FBI
Republicans on the committee have had a hostile relationship with the FBI in recent years, claiming the bureau has been weaponized for political purposes.
Wray clashed with Republicans on the House Judiciary Committee in a contentious hearing last year over the bureau's role in investigating Trump and alleged efforts to suppress conservative viewpoints.
"The idea that I am biased against conservatives seems somewhat insane to me given my own personal background," Wray, a registered Republican who was appointed by Trump, said in response to accusations he has used the FBI to target conservatives.