House member blasts FBI Trump shooting probe, agency defends 'painstaking' investigation

WASHINGTON – A House member probing the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump criticized the FBI for a “scorched earth” investigation and questioned why the body of the gunman was released for cremation 10 days after the shooting.

The FBI denied interfering with congressional efforts to review the shooting and said its painstaking investigation followed normal procedures.

The dustup arose amid multiple investigations of the July 13 shooting of Trump at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. In addition to the House and the FBI, the Secret Service is reviewing its planning and response to the incident, as is the Department of Homeland Security’s inspector general.

Here’s what we know about the latest developments:

Higgins blasts FBI for releasing body of gunman

In his preliminary report, Rep. Clay Higgins, R-La., criticized several FBI actions in the investigation, including releasing emergency responders the night of the shooting, opening the crime scene three days later and cleaning up biological evidence from the shooting.

Higgins visited Butler on Aug. 4 to 6, but said the FBI released Crooks’ body on July 23 to his family for cremation, which the lawmaker called “obstruction to any following investigative effort.” Higgins sought to examine the body himself, to confirm the results of the autopsy.

“This pattern of investigative scorched earth by the FBI is quite troubling,” Higgins said.

The FBI called the accusation of obstruction “inaccurate and unfounded.” The FBI arranged for cleaning the area where Crooks died and released his body to his family in coordination with the coroner’s office and other law enforcement partners.

“The FBI has been working closely with our law enforcement partners to conduct a thorough investigation into the shooting, and we have followed normal procedures in the handling of the crime scene and evidence,” the FBI statement said. “Nothing was rushed and everything was documented as part of the investigation.”

House investigator rules out second shooter

Higgins ruled out two conspiracy theories of another potential gunman after visiting fairgrounds and climbing atop the AGR building where Thomas Matthew Crooks perched to shoot Trump in the ear.

After Crooks fired eight shots, a Butler County officer shot from the ground and hit Crooks’ AR-style rifle stock, which broke up, according to Higgins. When Crooks “popped back up” a few moments later, a Secret Service sniper shot and killed him.

Higgins said he climbed onto an air conditioning roof to get onto the roof of the building “with no problem,” noting no ladder was needed.

Higgins debunked a reported “muzzle flash” from a window in the building, finding from the staffer who worked in the office “it does not open and has never opened.” Higgins reported the flash was either a digital fabrication or the flash from a camera on the window glass.

And Higgins found no evidence that someone could have climbed to the top of a nearby water tower, where videos posted on the internet misleadingly suggested a dark figure or shadow was present. Local authorities checked the tower with a drone the morning of Trump’s rally and Higgins said a 25-foot ladder wasn’t lowered that day to allow someone to climb to the tower’s catwalk.

Higgins said he has not “seen any evidence that supports theory of a second shooter.”

FBI, Secret Service strive to debunk conspiracy theories

FBI and Secret Service officials have said Crooks appeared to have acted alone. But conspiracy theories sprouted quickly about the possibility of other shooters.

“So far, we have not found any evidence of accomplices or co-conspirators, foreign or domestic,” FBI Director Christopher Wray told the House Judiciary Committee on July 24.

Ronald Rowe, acting director of the Secret Service, apologized to the Senate Judiciary Committee on July 30 for not getting information to Congress and the public faster.

“I fear this lack of information has given rise to multiple false and dangerous conspiracy theories about what took place that day,” Rowe said. “I want to debunk those theories.”

More reports are pending about Secret Service

Higgins said the House task force review could take months, but that his next report will be completed in a few weeks.

The Secret Service is expected to complete a report on its planning and responses to the assassination attempt by mid-September.

The FBI continues to investigate without a deadline.

"The FBI continues its painstaking work on the investigation to develop as complete a picture as possible of what led to the shooting, and we remain committed to maximum transparency as we continue to brief Congress and publish information for the public regarding the ongoing investigation," the FBI statement said.

The Department of Homeland Security’s inspector general began three probes within days of the shooting. One will examine how the Secret Service secured the campaign event, one will review the sniper team’s preparations and response to threats, and the third will cover how the agency plans and implements its plans for all of the people it protects.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Lawmaker blasts FBI in Trump shooting probe