Get the latest Boston sports news
Receive updates on your favorite Boston teams, straight from our newsroom to your inbox.
BETHEL PARK, Pa. — FBI Director Christopher Wray revealed on Wednesday that Thomas Crooks’ family had more than a dozen firearms in their Pennsylvania home and that father Matthew Crooks legally sold his son the weapon that the 20-year-old would use in his assassination attempt on former President Trump.
“We located a number of firearms associated with the shooter and his family,” Wray told the House Judiciary Committee. “I think it was a total of … 14 in the house.”
“The weapon that he used for the attempted assassination was an AR-style rifle that was purchased legally,” Wray said. “We believe, based on what we’ve seen, that his father, after purchasing the gun, legally sold the gun to his son.”
This revelation came on the same day that Mary Crooks, the mother of the would-be Trump assassin, was pictured outside for the first time since her son opened fire at the rally in Butler.
The gunman’s mother, who is blind, was guided by her husband from their blue Toyota Tacoma into their Bethel Park home around 7 p.m. on Wednesday. Matthew Crooks opened her car door for her and held her hand as they entered the house.
TRUMP SHOOTING: TIMELINE OF ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT RAISES QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW GUNMAN EVADED SECURITY
The younger Crooks was a “fairly avid shooting enthusiast,” Wray said during Wednesday’s testimony.
In addition to the AR-15 and magazines for the rifle, a bulletproof vest and “crude” explosive devices that could be detonated remotely were found in Crooks’ car after he was shot dead by a Secret Service sniper, Wray said.
The FBI director said the agency is still searching for a manifesto or other clues that could determine the 20-year-old Crooks’ motive for the attack that nearly killed Trump, injured two rallygoers and killed retired volunteer fire chief Corey Comperatore on July 13. He added that the bureau’s behavioral analysis unit was assembling a profile of the shooter.
DETAILS ABOUT HOW TRUMP SHOOTER SCALED BUTLER RALLY ROOF EMERGE IN FBI DIRECTOR CHRISTOPHER WRAY’S TESTIMONY
Thomas Matthew Crooks (Handout via AFP)
TRUMP SHOOTER WAS NOT ONLY SUSPICIOUS PERSON AT BUTLER RALLY: PENNSYLVANIA STATE POLICE COMMISSIONER
The FBI has conducted more than 400 interviews in their investigation of the shooting. Typically, the FBI does not discuss ongoing investigations, but Wray said on Tuesday that “the attempted assassination of the former president was an attack on our democracy” and that he “recognize[d] the congressional and public interest in this case.”
The gunman’s father told reporters this week that his family was not ready to comment on their son’s actions.
Matthew Crooks leaves a supermarket in Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, on July 22, 2024. (Derek Shook for Fox News Digital)
“We’re going to release a statement when our legal counsel advises us to do so. Until then, we have no comment,” he told Fox News Digital before beginning to load groceries into his vehicle outside a Shop ‘n Save near the family’s home. “We just want to try to take care of ourselves right now. Please, just give us our space.”
Read the full article from Here
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.
Receive updates on your favorite Boston teams, straight from our newsroom to your inbox.
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
Wyoming High School State Finals
Bitcoin’s Stumble Looks Graceful Next to Zcash’s Faceplant — Week in Review
How this week’s inflation data and interest rates affect your money
Fitness: Does high blood pressure limit your exercise options?
Film review #5: The Life and Times of Allen Ginsberg
Soccer-Iran World Cup Players Granted Visas to Enter the US, Says White House Official
Summer TV season has arrived — here’s what you shouldn’t miss
JMGO’s N3 Ultimate projector is the new portable 4K champ