Task force probing Trump Butler rally shooting seeks connections to Florida shooting attempt
A congressional task force investigating the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump at a Butler County rally in July wants to be briefed on the thwarted apparent attempt Sunday at a golf course in Florida.
In a letter dated Tuesday, the Task Force on the Attempted Assassination of Donald J. Trump, chaired by Butler County Republican Mike Kelly, asks for a briefing no later than Friday on the incident at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach.
In addition to information and documents related to the July 13 Butler rally, the letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland and FBI Director Christopher Wray asks for “all documents and information related to any potential connection between the attempted assassination on July 13 and the attempted assassination on Sept. 15, 2024.”
The gunman at the Butler rally, Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, of Bethel Park, was killed after firing toward Trump, wounding him, injuring two and killing one in the crowd. The suspect in Florida, Ryan Wesley Routh, 58, a resident of Hawaii since 2018, never had Trump in his line of sight and didn’t fire any shots before he was spotted, shot at and fled, according to the Secret Service.
A spokesman for Kelly did not respond to a request for comment Tuesday.
Trump’s campaign announced he will return to Western Pennsylvania on Monday with stops in Smithton, Westmoreland County, and Indiana University of Pennsylvania in Indiana County.
Related to the Butler assassination attempt, the task force has asked for all documents and transcripts of witness interviews by Sept. 24. That includes interviews with the U.S. Secret Service, state and local law enforcement, Trump and his campaign, Crooks’ immediate family and owners and customers of Clairton Sportsmen’s Club.
Crooks became a member of the Clairton Sportsmen’s Club in August 2023 and made frequent visits to practice his shooting, according to records released by Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa.
The task force also asked for a log and copies of all evidence the FBI has obtained related to the July 13 event and Crooks, including videos and recordings.
A final report by the task force is expected before Dec. 13.
Brian C. Rittmeyer, a Pittsburgh native and graduate of Penn State University's Schreyer Honors College, has been with the Trib since December 2000. He can be reached at brittmeyer@triblive.com.
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