Newly released records indicate that the man who attempted to assassinate then-presidential candidate Donald Trump at a 2024 campaign rally exchanged cryptic messages about a 3D printer months before the shooting.
Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, communicated with a person identified by the FBI only as an “unknown contact,” according to documents obtained by Judicial Watch through a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit.
In one exchange dated February 9, 2023, the contact asked Crooks, “did you 3d print the parts?”
Crooks replied several hours later: “Yes, except for the fan blades,” according to the records.
The FBI review, dated July 18, 2024, said the messages had been recovered from a Samsung mobile phone.
Investigators classified the conversations as “pertinent” to the inquiry into the July 13, 2024, assassination attempt against Trump, the documents obtained by Judicial Watch show.
Crooks’ father, Matthew Crooks, also told investigators that his son owned a 3D printer and had previously attempted to make a handgun, according to the New York Post.
“Using carbon fiber plastic, a dryer and a toaster oven, Thomas did once create a Glock 19,” Matthew told investigators, according to the outlet.
FBI records obtained by Judicial Watch show attempted Trump assassin Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, exchanged messages about 3D printing in February 2023
Investigators marked Crooks’ conversations as “pertinent” to the July 13, 2024, assassination attempt against Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania
His father said he barred Crooks from using the weapon after his son fired one round, fearing the homemade frame could break apart or explode.
In the messages, Crooks appeared to confirm that he had printed “the parts” and said he was “trying to save up money to move out.”
“Apartments are too expensive though,” he added before shifting the conversation toward school.
A separate FBI communication from the investigation referenced another series of messages sent on May 22, 2023. The exchange consisted largely of repeated characters and brief words that investigators could not immediately interpret.
The outgoing messages reportedly read: “Hello reddd Hello red Hello re d Gevegeg Hello Hdhdh Hello Hello Red red Hello red JjjjjJjJ Hhdj Jhhhuuh Hello.”
The incoming messages from that exchange were fully redacted in the records obtained by Judicial Watch.
The documents also show that Crooks received a DHL Express package shipped from Hong Kong in January 2023.
The shipment was delivered on January 3 at 6:02 p.m., although the records did not specify the delivery location.
Crooks’ father told investigators that his son owned a 3D printer and had previously attempted to make a handgun
An FBI laboratory report obtained by Judicial Watch further stated that investigators recovered eight flight logs from Crooks’ commercially available drone, which was equipped to record both video and audio.
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.
Our News Outlet has reached out to the FBI for comment.
