CNN —Federal investigators are looking into a YouTube account possibly connected to the would-be Donald Trump assassin in which the user espoused political violence as well as antisemitic and anti-immigration themes, a source familiar with the investigation told CNN.
FBI Deputy Director Paul Abbate said at a congressional hearing Tuesday that investigators had uncovered a social media account where Thomas Matthew Crooks may have posted those themes but didn’t specify the platform and said they are still working to confirm the connection with the shooter.
Officials have repeatedly said that they have struggled to understand the 20-year-old shooter’s motive and that they are combing his online presence for more information.
“Something just very recently uncovered that I want to share is a social media account, which is believed to be associated with this with the shooter – in about the 2019, 2020 timeframe,” Abbate said Tuesday.
On that account, “there were over 700 comments,” Abbate said, which, “if ultimately attributable to the shooter, appear to reflect antisemitic and anti-immigration themes, to espouse political violence, and are described as extreme in nature.”CNN has reached out to YouTube for comment.
Persons:
Donald Trump, Paul Abbate, Thomas Matthew Crooks, ” Abbate
Organizations:
CNN, Federal, FBI, YouTube