Northeast
Trump assassination attempt: FBI reveals first photos of Thomas Crooks’ firearm, IEDs in car trunk
The FBI on Wednesday provided additional details about would-be Trump assassin Thomas Matthew Crooks’ activity before and during the July 13 campaign rally that left one man dead.
While the FBI has not established a definitive motive for the shooter or any co-conspirators with advanced knowledge of the attack, Kevin Rojek, special agent in charge of the FBI Pittsburgh Field Office, told reporters during a press call that Crooks had “a sustained detailed effort to plan an attack on some event, meaning he looked at any number of events or targets.”
The 20-year-old gunman “became hyper-focused” on Trump’s rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, when it was announced in early July. He had no identifiable political ideology, Rojek added.
Over the month leading up to the attack, Crooks made more than 60 searches related to both President Biden and former President Trump. In late September 2023, an account associated with Crooks “searched the former president’s campaign schedule and upcoming appearances in Pennsylvania,” Rojek said.
TRUMP ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT VICTIMS WITH LIFE-ALTERING INJURIES SEEK ACCOUNTABILITY: ‘IT WILL COME TO LIGHT’
A photo shows the air conditioning unit Thomas Matthew Crooks used to access the roof ahead of the assassination attempt of former President Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania. (Federal Bureau of Investigation)
“Next, from April of 2024 through July 12, the subject searched campaign events for both former President Trump and President Biden, including events scheduled to take place in western Pennsylvania,” Rojek said. “Specifically on July 4, 2024, the subject searched for details of the former president’s campaign event in Butler.
On July 6, Crooks searched for specific details about Trump’s event in Butler.
TRUMP ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT TASK FORCE CHAIR QUESTIONS ‘FROZEN’ RESPONSE TO SHOOTER AFTER TOURING SITE
A photo shows Thomas Matthew Crooks’ semi-automatic rifle and backpack as it was likely transported following the assassination attempt of former President Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania. (Federal Bureau of Investigation)
“The subject registered to attend the rally, and that same day he specifically searched for, ‘How far was Oswald from Kennedy?’ ‘Where will Trump speak from at Butler Farm Show,’ ‘Butler Farm show podium,’ and ‘Butler Farm show photos,’” Rojek further explained. “On July 8, the subject search ‘AGR international.’ And on July 10, he searched ‘weather in Butler,’ and the 30 days prior to the attack, the subject conducted more than 60 searches related to President Biden and former President Trump.”
He also noted “specific searches conducted on July 5 to include, ‘When is the DNC convention?’ and ‘When is the RNC in 2024?’”
TRUMP ASSASSINATION TASK FORCE REBUFFS PARALLEL PROBE: WE’RE ‘THE ONLY TASK FORCE OF JURISDICTION’
A photo shows two explosive devices found in the trunk of Thomas Matthew Crooks’ car following the assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania. (Federal Bureau of Investigation)
The FBI confirmed that Crooks was seen walking outside the rally perimeter by a row of vendors at 4:26 p.m. on July 13, about an hour and a half before Trump began speaking.
Video footage from a local business showed Crooks climbing up the American Glass Research (AGR) building and then traversing multiple rooftops between 6:05 and 6:08.
WATCH:
“Our overall finding is the subject was only on the roof for approximately six minutes prior to the shooting. Between 6:05 and 6:11 p.m.,” when he was neutralized, Rojek said, later refuting rumors that there was a second shooter.
The day of the rally, Crooks flew a drone for 11 minutes, between 3:51 p.m. and 4:02 p.m., Rojek told Fox News Digital.
WATCH:
The FBI’s observations from the drone’s flight path show it “would have been helpful for our subject to assess the security posture at the event,” the special agent-in-charge said.
“However, we will never be able to determine the exact motivation for why the subject flew the drone,” Rojek added. “We can only do that based on our assessment of the flight path and what we’re able to determine through our analysis by the lab.”
Read the full article from Here
New York
In First Campaign Ad, Schlossberg Leans on a Well-Known Name: Pelosi
Jack Schlossberg, the grandson of John F. Kennedy, has built his campaign for a New York City House seat around turning the page on the Democrats’ old guard.
Yet when he debuts his first paid advertisement on Wednesday, the 33-year-old candidate has chosen his party’s oldest living leader, Representative Nancy Pelosi of California, to do the talking.
The choice reflects the unique challenge Mr. Schlossberg faces ahead of a marquee June primary against more seasoned rivals. He may have star power and youth, but he is still trying to persuade aging voters who form the Democratic base that he is serious and experienced enough to represent a storied Manhattan district — home to corporate chieftains, media empires and cultural meccas.
The 30-second ad, which was shared first with The New York Times, uses Ms. Pelosi, a former House speaker, to make his case. In it, the congresswoman, 86, speaks directly to the camera to say that Mr. Schlossberg has “a deep sense of duty” and the kind of energy that could help propel Democrats back to power nationally.
“This moment calls for leaders who understand the stakes and how to deliver for the people they serve,” she says, sometimes over clips of him campaigning. “Jack Schlossberg is that kind of leader.”
Mr. Schlossberg is among the first candidates in New York’s 12th District to start spending on paid media. But a handful of super PACs funded by competing A.I. companies and former Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg have already burned through millions of dollars trying to sway voters toward or away from his rivals.
Mr. Schlossberg’s outlay will be relatively modest in comparison. The campaign said it would initially spend $70,000 on digital platforms, and eventually add more digital spending and $250,000 in broadcast TV time — a relatively small sum in the nation’s most expensive media market.
Mr. Schlossberg, who has reported inherited assets between $10 million and $32 million, said he would not be spending any of his own money in the race. He does not have a super PAC behind him.
While there has been no real public polling to date, private polls released by several of Mr. Schlossberg’s rivals have all narrowly put him in the lead.
With two months left until Primary Day, two state assemblymen — Alex Bores and Micah Lasher — are not far behind; followed by George Conway, a former Republican turned high-profile antagonist of President Trump, and Nina Schwalbe, a public health expert. Because the seat is safely Democratic, the primary winner will almost certainly win the general election to replace Representative Jerrold Nadler, who is retiring.
Mr. Schlossberg, earlier known for a head-turning social media presence, has largely tried to portray his opponents as old-fashioned, risk-averse establishment figures who have not been able to check Mr. Trump. They, in turn, have raised doubts about the thinness of his résumé, which includes no long-term traditional work experience, elected or otherwise.
In an interview, Mr. Schlossberg said it was an obvious choice to turn to Ms. Pelosi, who is perhaps her party’s most respected elder stateswoman.
“Speaker Pelosi is the backbone of our party,” he said. “She most importantly understands better than anyone how the House of Representatives works and what the Democratic Party needs right now.”
Yet embracing Ms. Pelosi may also have its costs, complicating Mr. Schlossberg’s attempts to position himself as an outsider and a fresh face by reminding voters of his family’s deep ties to the Democratic establishment.
Mr. Schlossberg said he believes he first met Ms. Pelosi when he was in high school. Alongside his family, he presented her with the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award in 2019.
The candidate said Ms. Pelosi asked to meet with him in her Washington office before she endorsed his campaign in February.
“I printed out all my plans I have for the district and the country,” he said. “She read them over and quizzed me.”
An earlier version of the ad shared with The Times included footage of Mr. Schlossberg and Ms. Pelosi spending time with his mother, the former ambassador Caroline Kennedy, and his niece, the daughter of his sister Tatiana Schlossberg. (Ms. Schlossberg, who was an environmental journalist, died in December after a fight with blood cancer that she chronicled in a widely read essay.) That footage was cut from the final ad before it was distributed.
In the interview, Mr. Schlossberg said he exempted Ms. Pelosi from his critique of this party’s aging officials — and argued voters would, too.
“I put her in a category of her own,” he said. “She has magic that doesn’t age. It wins.”
Boston, MA
Fancy Hats Can Be Cool
News
Ellie Ayati-Jian and Jaine Davies, two Greater Boston milliners, are raising the brim—and the bar.
Pretty in pink, blue, and yellow and festooned with ribbon, feathers, and a bold flower, this fascinator was created by Ellie Jian Millinery. / Photo by Steph Larsen / Styling by Abby Brenc for Anchor Artists
At spring events like the Kentucky Derby and Boston’s own “hat luncheon,” the Emerald Necklace Conservancy’s annual Party in the Park, hats have long shaped the conversation—an expected flourish of brim and bloom marking the start of the season. In recent years, however, the role of the hat has evolved, from celebratory flourish to considered craft.
Leading that charge locally is Ellie Jian Millinery, the Newton studio founded by Ellie Ayati-Jian. Trained in architecture and interior design, Ayati-Jian brings a structural sensibility to her work, approaching millinery less as ornament and more as wearable design. Her hats—ranging from floral fascinators to structured couture pieces—are engineered with intention, balancing form, proportion, and comfort. “What drew me in was the energy and sense of community around derby events,” Ayati-Jian says. “They bring together fashion, tradition, and celebration in a very social way.” That social element remains central to her work: She’s a familiar presence at Boston events, often modeling her own designs to show how even bold headpieces can feel approachable.
This Ellie Jian Millinery pink fascinator is anchored by deep blue handmade flower. / Photo by Steph Larsen / Styling by Abby Brenc for Anchor Artists
Ayati-Jian’s creative process begins not with sketching, but with research—architecture, art, fashion history, or a client’s personal story—until a concept emerges. She often spends days gathering visual references before touching a single material, allowing a narrative to emerge before form takes shape. From there, she shapes and refines her hats by hand.
Ayati-Jian says toppers incorporating clean shapes, softer brims, and sculptural forms are now trending—which, given the city’s fashion predilections, is a big advantage. “Boston style is generally more conservative, and I think that works beautifully with this direction,” she says. “Bostonians appreciate quality, craftsmanship, and timeless design.”
The “Monaco” by IndigoHats is made of silk with a peacock feather. / Photo courtesy of Jaine Davies/IndigoHats
She’s not the only one taking advantage of the recent hat craze. Raised in England near a major horse race, Jaine Davies, whose millinery studio, IndigoHats, is based on the South Shore, grew up immersed in a culture where hats signaled occasion. Her ideas often begin in a small notebook she carries everywhere, filled with details spotted at museum exhibitions and in historical garments. “Couture runway shows are really important to study,” says Davies, who observes the season’s designer dresses closely, translating their colors, embroidery, and silhouettes into hats ready for her studio. She handblocks each piece on traditional wooden forms and sews every hat by hand, pairing time-honored techniques with an adventurous use of materials. Alongside classic straws, Davies works with Dupioni silks, richly patterned textiles, beadwork, and meticulously crafted feather flowers designed to be as light as they are dramatic.
For Davies, drama and discipline go hand in hand. “I want to wow from a distance and impress close up with how well made they are,” she says. Indeed, her hats accomplish exactly that.
The shop’s “Aster” is a pillbox style with quills and sophisticated veiling. / Photo courtesy of Jaine Davies/IndigoHats
This article was first published in the print edition of the April 2026 issue, with the headline,“Head First.”
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