Body of Trump's would-be assassin is 'gone,' congressman reveals FBI's 'unheard of' act in investigation 'obstruction'

A congressman released a preliminary investigative report on the assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump this week, in which he declared the body of the would-be assassin is "gone." The congressman also revealed an "unheard of" act committed by the FBI that he deemed an "obstruction to any following investigative effort."

Rep. Clay Higgins (R-La.) — a member of the House Bipartisan Task Force on the Attempted Assassination of Donald J. Trump — released his preliminary investigative report, in which he noted some of the eye-opening revelations that he had uncovered during his "boots on the ground" fact-finding trip to Butler, Pennsylvania, August 4-6.

'The FBI cleaned up biological evidence from the crime scene, which is unheard of. Cops don’t do that, ever.'

Higgins confirmed that the shooter — Thomas Matthew Crooks — fired eight shots from the rooftop of the American Glass Research building during the Trump rally on July 13. Crooks was approximately 150 yards from the stage where Trump was delivering his campaign speech.

Higgins noted that the location of the shooter "provided excellent concealment" from the northern counter-sniper team due to trees. However, the congressman noted that Crooks' location "did NOT offer excellent concealment from the southern counter-sniper team." Higgins added that the "would-be assassin perfectly positioned himself to minimize the threat of counter-fire" from the ground or the Secret Service counter-sniper teams.

After Crooks fired eight shots toward the former president, a "badass" Butler SWAT operator returned fire from the ground about 100 yards away from the AGR building. The SWAT operator hit Crooks’ "rifle stock and fragged his face/neck/right shoulder area from the stock breaking up."

The reported final shot that killed Crooks was fired by the U.S. Secret Service southern counter-sniper team. The purported kill shot entered the left side of the shooter's mouth area and exited the right ear area.

Higgins claimed that the FBI scrubbed the crime scene of biological evidence before he could investigate the area.

"The FBI cleaned up biological evidence from the crime scene, which is unheard of. Cops don’t do that, ever," Higgins wrote in his report.

Higgins said he encountered another obstacle in his investigation into the Trump assassination attempt when he discovered the body of the shooter was "gone."

"My effort to examine Crooks’ body on Monday, August 5, caused quite a stir and revealed a disturbing fact. … The FBI released the body for cremation 10 days after J13," the congressman stated.

By July 23, "Crooks was gone," he said.

"Nobody knew this until Monday, August 5, including the County Coroner, law enforcement, Sheriff, etc.," Higgins continued. "Yes, Butler County Coroner technically had legal authority over the body, but I spoke with the coroner, and he would have never released Crooks’ body to the family for cremation or burial without specific permission from the FBI."

"Again, similar to releasing the crime scene and scrubbing crime scene biological evidence ... this action by the FBI can only be described by any reasonable man as an obstruction to any following investigative effort," Higgins declared.

Higgins noted, "The problem with me not being able to examine the actual body is that I won’t know 100% if the coroner’s report and the autopsy report are accurate. We will actually never know. Yes, we’ll get the reports and pictures, etc, but I will not ever be able to say with certainty that those reports and pictures are accurate according to my own examination of the body."

The Republican lawmaker also said that the coroner’s report and autopsy report were both a "week late" as of Aug. 5.

A spokesperson with the FBI told WTAE-TV that the agency was "surprised" and "disturbed" regarding the allegations of investigation obstruction. The agency also said it was unaware that Congress wanted to hold the body for its own investigation.

The spokesperson said the cleanup of biological evidence from the crime scene and the release of the shooter's body were all conducted according to FBI procedures. The spokesperson said the gunman's body was released to the family after a "detailed, coordinated effort with the coroner's office."

Higgins also questioned why the Secret Service did not retrieve radios that had been set aside for them by Butler County tactical command.

"The radio comms were properly and perfectly arranged during the extensive pre-mission planning," Higgins stated. "On J12, the Butler County ESU Commander personally reminded the USSS counter-sniper teams to pick up their assigned radios at the ESU Command Post RV, which was positioned according to planning at the Butler Fairgrounds, the following morning before 1100 hrs. It didn’t happen."

Anthony Guglielmi — chief of communications for the U.S. Secret Service — said to WTAE-TV about the accusations made by the congressman:

Inter-agency communications on July 13 will be examined during the U.S. Secret Service’s ongoing mission assurance review. The U.S. Secret Service is committed to investigating the decisions and actions of personnel related to the event in Butler, Pennsylvania, and the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump. The U.S. Secret Service’s mission assurance review is progressing, and we are examining the processes, procedures, and factors that led to this operational failure. Any identified and substantiated violations of policy committed by our personnel will be investigated by the Office of Professional Responsibility for disciplinary action. The U.S. Secret Service is committed to holding our personnel accountable to the highest professional standards.

Higgins commended the Butler County tactical team’s commander and the head investigator for the Butler County DA’s office.

"Those gentlemen had nothing to hide, and they were 100% accommodating despite my rather intense demands on their time and resources due to the compressed schedule I was working with," Higgins said.

Higgins added that local law enforcement's performance during the assassination attempt was "very professionally deployed and commanded."

Higgins said he would release a "much more comprehensive" report on the assassination attempt in a few weeks.

"As I have said, every question will be answered, every theory explored, and every doubt erased. The American people deserve the full truth on the attempted assassination of President Trump," Higgins proclaimed. "Our investigative efforts are moving forward in good faith. The release of my preliminary investigative report is reflective of my desire to deliver transparency and reassurance to the American people."

The House task force investigating the assassination attempt against former President Trump will issue a final report before Dec. 13.

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