Thomas Crooks, the man who attempted to assassinate President Trump, exchanged messages with an “unknown contact” about 3D-printed “parts” and appeared to communicate in coded language with another unidentified person, according to FBI documents released Friday.
The electronic communications were obtained by Judicial Watch through a Freedom of Information Act request, weeks after The Post reported on Crooks’ 3D-printing experiments, including an effort to build a firearm.
“Did you 3D print the parts?” an individual identified by the FBI as an “unknown contact” asked in a Feb. 9, 2023, message sent to Crooks’ Samsung device.
Several hours later, Crooks appeared to reply: “Yes, except for the fan blades.”
The exchange then appeared to shift to a discussion of the pair’s coursework at different colleges.
The messages are among dozens contained in the newly released records, which the FBI said were “deemed pertinent” to its investigation of the July 13, 2024, assassination attempt against Trump in Butler, Pa.
“Woah that looks cool,” the unknown contact wrote shortly before asking about the “parts.” The message was sent in response to a completely redacted text attributed to Crooks.
Federal investigative records obtained by Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and reviewed by The Post last month indicated that Crooks’ father told investigators his son owned a 3D printer and had once attempted to make his own handgun.
“Using carbon fiber plastic, a dryer and a toaster oven, Thomas did once create a Glock 19,” the gunman’s father, Matthew, told investigators.
Matthew said he test-fired the 3D-printed weapon but stopped after a single round because he feared its frame could explode.
He also told investigators that he did not permit Thomas to use the 3D-printed Glock 19.
Judicial Watch also obtained unusual communications that the FBI described as a “chat thread” between Crooks and a recipient whose name was redacted.
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The exchange took place from May 21, 2023, through Jan. 3, 2024, and consisted largely of one- or two-word messages and strings of characters.
Among the messages Crooks sent were: “Hello … Hello red …Hello red … Hdudhdbdbbd … 7888ejdj …Yolo … Ddodjjf … 890 … Hdjd … Djdj … red … Yup red … Hello … Jhhhuuh … Hhdj … Jjjjjjjjjjjj … Hello red … Red red.”
The incoming messages to which Crooks may have been responding were not included in the records.
Other messages from Christmas Day 2022 suggest that Crooks exchanged “gifts” with an unidentified person.
“Thanks for the gifts,” one incoming text said.
“Your welcome. Thanks as well,” Crooks appeared to respond.
The documents do not explain why the FBI considered the communications “pertinent” to its investigation. Bureau representatives did not respond to a request for comment.
The records also show that investigators were able to extract images and flight logs from Crooks’ drone.
Between February 6, 2024, and February 27, 2024, Crooks snapped aerial photos of PNC Park and Acrisure Stadium, home of the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Pittsburgh Steelers, respectively, as well as railroad tracks and other locations arounds Western Pennsylvania.
Data from a drone flight in Butler from the day of the attempted assassination was also pulled, several hours before Crooks took aim at the 45th president during a campaign rally and opened fire, striking Trump in the ear, wounding two attendees — James Copenhaver and David Dutch — and killing one, Corey Comperatore.
“These latest records reveal more pieces of the puzzle surrounding Thomas Crooks,” Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton said in a statement.
“The FBI should stop the slow drip of heavily redacted records and immediately provide the full investigative record — especially since the death last week of James Copenhaver, who was severely injured from being shot during the assassination attempt on President Trump.”
