According to the New York Post, US Congressman Clay Higgins said that during his investigation into the assassination attempt, he learned that the body of Thomas Matthew Crooks, who attempted to assassinate former President Donald Trump, was handed over to his family and cremated, and that this decision, which “impeded” the progress of the investigation, was “disturbing”.
In his report to the “July 13 Task Force” committee established to investigate security weaknesses during the assassination attempt on Trump, Higgins said he learned that Crooks' body was cremated 10 days after the incident.
“UNPRECEDENTED”
Stating that the FBI removed biological evidence from the crime scene, Higgins underlined that this was an “unprecedented” event.
Higgins stated that the FBI knew that the Congress would investigate the incident and said, “The FBI is not disconnected from the rest of the world.”
Noting that he wanted to confirm the accuracy of the autopsy results, Higgins said of the cremation, “Yes, we will see the reports and pictures, but I will never be able to say with certainty that those reports and pictures are accurate based on my own examination of the body.”
THE STEP THAT HINDERED THE INVESTIGATION
Until August 5, it was not known that Crooks' body had been cremated, Higgins said, describing the FBI's actions as “obstructing the progress of the investigation.”
Higgins said that his investigation found that Crooks “positioned himself perfectly (on the roof) to minimize the threat of return fire from the ground or from US Secret Service sniper teams.”
US Congressman Higgins said that a SWAT agent fired from about 90 meters away, presumably damaging the buffer tube on Crooks' gun, and that the 10th and final bullet entered the left side of Crooks' mouth and exited through his right ear.
FBI RESPONSE TO ALLEGATIONS
The FBI Pittsburgh Office released a statement in response to Higgins' references.
“Allegations that the FBI interfered with congressional efforts to investigate the assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania are false and unfounded,” the statement read.
Normal procedures were followed in handling the crime scene and evidence, the statement said, adding that the crime scene was gradually turned over to the property owners and that every activity and piece of evidence was documented as part of the investigation.
The statement noted that “nothing was rushed” regarding the investigation and underlined that the release of Crooks' body to his family was part of the routine procedure.
