Chilling new details have come to light nearly a year after Thomas Crooks attempted to assassinate the then-presidential candidate Donald Trump at a campaign rally. A new report by CBS suggests that the 20-year-old had far more dangerous intentions than previously understood.According to a the investigation, Crooks attempted to purchase more than two gallons of nitromethane, a volatile chemical commonly used in fuel and explosives. The purchase, made through an encrypted email account from an online retailer called Hyperfuels, would have allowed Crooks to build a device powerful enough to bring down a small building, depending on how it was used, The Western Journal quoted.When he did not receive the order even after twelve days after placing it, Crooks followed up via email using his community college address. He asked, “Hello, my name is Thomas. I placed an order on your website on January 19. I have not received any updates of the order shipping out yet and I was wondering if you still have it and when I can expect it to come.”The use of his school email, according to CBS, was one of the few steps that left a digital trail, granting authorities a rare look into the dual life of a student who appeared to be a promising engineering applicant while secretly preparing for violence.CBS News described the contrast in his emails, a young man busily gathering transcripts and refining personal statements for university transfer applications, on the other hand, simultaneously researching explosives and planning a deadly attack.Crooks opened fire at Trump during a packed rally on 13 July 2024, grazing the candidate’s ear and killing a rallygoer. While much has been written about the Secret Service’s response and Crooks’ academic achievements, including a 1530 SAT score, his efforts to acquire bomb-making materials had gone largely unreported until now.Legal experts say the new revelations raise serious questions about the depth of the ongoing investigation.“I think it raises a lot of important questions. Were they investigating anyone else? Are they still investigating?” said Wally Zimolong, a lawyer who obtained Crooks’ records on behalf of the conservative group America First Legal. “Were they investigating anyone else? Are they still investigating?”“A year later we still don’t know enough.”Nitromethane alone is dangerous, but when combined with other readily available ingredients such as ammonium nitrate, the result can be catastrophic. Experts noted that a combination like this was used in the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing.Despite the alarming nature of Crooks’ actions, many critics argue that the media has failed to give the story the sustained attention it warrants.As the first serious attempt on a US presidential candidate’s life since Ronald Reagan was shot in 1981, Crooks case remains one of the most troubling and under-scrutinised political events in recent American history.
