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BETHEL PARK, Pa. – FBI Director Christopher Wray said that his agency is still not certain how Thomas Matthew Crooks accessed the roof of the building where he took aim at former President Donald Trump – but they don’t believe he used a ladder.
Despite the fact that a “bloodied receipt” found on Crooks’ dead body included a 5-foot ladder purchase, Wray told the House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday, his agency believes that “the subject climbed onto the roof using some mechanical equipment, on the ground and vertical piping on the side of the AGR building” on July 13.
“In other words, we do not believe he used a ladder to get up there,” he said in Washington, D.C.
TIMELINE: TRUMP ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT
Thomas Matthew Crooks is pictured in front of the Butler Fairgrounds in the aftermath of the attempted assassination of the former president on July 14, 2024 in Butler, Pennsylvania. (Bethel Park School District/Getty Images)
“We did not find the ladder at the scene,” Wray told Rep. Steve Cohen. “He did buy a ladder. But the ladder was not found at the scene.”
“The ladder didn’t have any feet on it – it didn’t walk off,” Cohen joked in response.
FBI DIRECTOR CHRISTOPHER WRAY TESTIFIES ABOUT TRUMP RALLY ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT
Buildings that are adjacent to The Butler Farm Show, site of a campaign rally for Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump, are seen Monday, July 15, 2024, in Butler, Pa. Thomas Crooks fired from the roof of the building complex and wounded Trump on July 13 during an assassination attempt. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
Pictured is the building that Thomas Crooks clambered up to shoot at former President Donald Trump – former NYPD inspector Paul Mauro suspects that Crooks used the hallway adjoining the two buildings to get onto the roof and stashed his AR-15 in the air conditioning unit pictured. (Fox News)
The Home Depot where Crooks purchased the ladder is a brief drive from his family’s home on Milford Drive in Bethel Park. Home Depot has not responded to Fox News Digital’s requests for comment.
Wray said outdoor events, like concerts and political rallies, are “often… particularly challenging to secure adequately, because the range of threats that can face them are higher.”
TRUMP SHOOTER MADE CHILLING GOOGLE SEARCH ON DAY HE REGISTERED FOR BUTLER RALLY
FBI Director Christopher Wray testifies during a Senate Appropriations Subcommittee hearing on the FBI’s proposed budget for the 2025 fiscal year on June 4, 2024 in Washington, D.C. (Samuel Corum/Getty Images)
“In addition to that… just threats to public officials, including politicians, is an increasingly pervasive part of today’s landscape. And so that adds to the challenge,” Wray continued.
Using drone footage from the scene of the shooting at the Butler Farm Show grounds, Fox News contributor Paul Mauro pointed out possible access points to Crooks’ vantage point earlier this week.
A hallway adjoining the building to another beside it provided an access point where Crooks could have clambered onto the roof, Mauro said. An air conditioning unit seen from above may be where he stashed his AR-15 ahead of the rally, sources told Mauro.
TRUMP SHOOTER MADE HOME DEPOT VISIT PRIOR TO ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT
Exterior view of a Home Depot store at 4000 Oxford Drive, Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, Tuesday, July 16, 2024. The store is reportedly the location where Thomas Crooks bought a ladder before he attempted to assassinate former President Donald Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania on Saturday. (Sarah Rumpf / Fox News Digital)
Wray’s testimony on Wednesday revealed other new details: on the day he registered to attend the rally, Crooks conducted a Google search for “how far away was Oswald from Kennedy.”
Wray also elaborated on Crooks’ stash of weapons, including two explosive devices found in his vehicle near the Butler rally and one more in his home.
Two FBI investigators scan the roof of AGR International Inc, the building adjacent to the Butler Fairgrounds, from which shooter Matthew Thomas Crooks fired at former President Trump on July 13. (Jeff Swensen/Getty Images)
Based on his online activity, Wray said, 20-year-old Crooks “became very focused on former President Trump and his rally” around July 6.
“That’s a search that obviously is significant in terms of his state of mind,” Wray added.
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Boston Celtics
Giannis Antetokounmpo’s trade rumors seem to evolve weekly, but two teams have been linked to the former NBA champion and league MVP more than any others: the Boston Celtics and Miami Heat.
Since trade rumors initially picked up early in the offseason, it’s believed that Antetokounmpo’s preferred trade destination is a title contender in the Eastern Conference. Outside of the obvious Knicks, who are up 2-0 in the NBA Finals, there are a handful of teams that fit that bill: Detroit, Cleveland, Philadelphia, and Orlando could be considered in that tier of Eastern Conference teams.
However, most teams that have the assets to trade for Antetokounmpo would need to gut the better parts of their lineup in order to make a legal trade happen, and that would make them less likely to be contenders.
That’s the advantage Boston seemingly possesses over just about every other team Antetokounmpo would be willing to play for: its roster would not be depleted in the process of acquiring the ‘Greek Freak’.
Speaking on the Dan Patrick Show, The Athletic’s Sam Amick said the rumors of Antetokounmpo to the Celtics have some serious traction, at least on Antetokounmpo’s end.
“Miami is the loudest noise, you continue to hear that … yes, it appears everybody you talk to says Miami at the deadline had a deal that was close,” Amick said. “So the noise is tied to Miami, but there’s also some understanding that Giannis has questions about what that Miami roster would look like on the other side of the deal.
“I think the Celtics are a pretty intriguing option in terms of being competitive,” Amick added. “This is something we’ve heard from Giannis’s side that the intrigue is real. The respect for Joe Mazzulla, the way that he might see that roster. Do I think it changes things? I don’t know yet. But I think it’s worth watching.”
The seemingly obvious piece for Boston to send back, whether to the Bucks or a third involved team, is Jaylen Brown. Brown has a similar contract to Antetokounmpo’s, and is a quality enough player that he could be the only player the Celtics trade away in the deal, giving them plenty of runway to compete for a championship in the aftermath.
So, from a salary cap-balancing perspective, the trade could be done easily. But Boston will have other factors to consider. Does the fit with Antetokounmpo and Jayson Tatum together make sense and will it lead to a better title shot? And, even if Brad Stevens thinks it is, does it make sense to trade away your longest tenured player who has already proven he can win a championship alongside Tatum.
Brown’s name has been dangled in a few different rumored trade scenarios over the last few offseasons, but no other occasion has had this much traction behind it.
And for the Bucks, trading Antetokounmpo appears to be a near-certainty at this juncture.
“It seems very likely … it’s not often you have an owner publicly framing the timeline, and that’s what Jimmy Haslem did. We just saw Jimmy Haslem do a blockbuster trade with Myles Garrett in the NFL, showing he’s certainly ready to pull that trigger if he needs to. I do expect it to happen.”
So the Heat and Celtics, who have built quite a fierce rivalry in the 21st century, and especially with their recent playoff clashes, will be pitted against each other once more. This time, Antetokounmpo is up for grabs.
Stevens entered the offseason saying he’d do everything in his power to make Boston a more competitive team and bring them another championship. He also said he’d take a dunk over a 3-pointer on every possession if he could. If he lands Antetokounmpo, he just might get both his wishes.
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PHOTO BY DAVE BRYCE PHOTOGRAPHY
From warm maple and mossy green finishes on its cabinetry to the brass plumbing fixtures on the sink, the kitchen of this Treesdale home in Adams Township is all about natural warmth and soft color.
It’s a space that architect Robert Gaskill of Gaskill Architecture, who spearheaded the renovation project, describes as timeless and collected.
“The classic cabinetry, use of natural stone, brass hardware and rich, warm maple wood tone has been relevant for decades and will continue to age beautifully,” Gaskill says. “Rather than leaning into trendy design elements, this kitchen design focuses on authenticity. The layered materials give this kitchen timeless character, which makes it feel as if it evolved over time rather than being tied to a specific moment.”
PHOTO BY DAVE BRYCE PHOTOGRAPHY
The kitchen’s ageless design led to it being named Best Renovated Kitchen in Pittsburgh Magazine’s Best of Design contest.
“I think the kitchen feels really cozy; it’s going to be a great place for people to gather,” says judge Katie Savakis, a project designer at Vocon’s Cleveland office. “This kitchen feels very Ralph Lauren, but in the best way.”
Judge Crystal Knapik, an architect and senior associate at CannonDesign in St. Louis, also praised the contrast in the materials.
“I like how they choose that mossy green to be the main character of the kitchen,” she says. “They balanced the dark tones with the bright white ceiling and the white marble on the island.”
Art Rectenwald purchased the home in 2022 and shares it with his wife, Irinia, and his daughter, Annabelle. (“Plus two dogs, two cats, ten chickens and five horses,” he adds.)
The kitchen renovation originally wasn’t part of an overall home addition, but as the project evolved, it became clear the existing builder-grade space wasn’t going to cut it. Rectenwald says that the previous kitchen was “bland and low quality,” but calls the updated space “cozy, beautiful and efficient.”
PHOTO BY DAVE BRYCE PHOTOGRAPHY
Irina Rectenwald is an architect specializing in environmental design, and her husband says her vision and research provided the primary inspiration for the space. Gaskill seconds this, adding that the selections were “heavily guided by the homeowners’ aesthetic preferences and style.”
The cabinetry pairs a warm maple finish on the range wall and island with a mossy green painted finish on the side elevations. The refrigerator is fully integrated within tall maple cabinetry, allowing it to blend seamlessly into the design. Two tiled towers also frame the range wall, introducing texture while creating niches for displaying personal objects.
“The tiled corner niches are my favorite,” Rectenwald says. “Our corners now display sculptures and artwork versus blenders and coffee makers.”
The homeowners add it feels good to know that their vision, and the hard work that went into bringing the space to life, is appreciated.
“The finished product is everything and more of what we hoped for,” Rectenwald says. “Every detail turned out how we envisioned or better.”
Vendors
Architectural Design: Gaskill Architecture
Interior Design: Gaskill Architecture
General Contractor: TK Construction
Cabinetry: Beahm and Son Ltd. Custom Cabinetry
Fixtures: Brizo
Countertops: Top It Off Granite
Tile: The Tile Shop
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