Snapchat Account Linked to Would-Be Trump Assassin Could Be 'Treasure Trove' of Evidence, Former FBI Agent Says

Newly released FBI files indicate that Thomas Crooks, the individual who attempted to assassinate President Donald Trump, had a Snapchat account that could contain significant evidence. The federal documents, turned over to the Senate and initially reported by the New York Post, reveal that FBI agents identified a Snapchat account belonging to Crooks, identified by the username "tom_crooks19."

Crooks died on July 13, 2024, after fatally shooting one person and seriously injuring two others during his assassination attempt on Trump at a campaign rally. Alongside the Snapchat account, an Amazon account was also found to be linked to Crooks. The investigation also uncovered that he utilized an encrypted email service, Mailfence, logging in multiple times between April 15, 2024, and July 8, 2024, in addition to using a Gmail account.

Retired FBI Supervisory Special Agent Jason Pack told Fox News Digital that the Snapchat account could represent a "treasure trove" of evidence. "When you snap and that picture goes away that everything is gone and that's not true," Pack explained. "When I've served search warrants, there's been a treasure trove of information that has come back. It's not like some people think when you've snapped and then it goes away, it's totally gone. That's not entirely the case."

Pack acknowledged that certain elements of Crooks' Snapchat account might not have been recoverable, but stressed that a substantial amount of information could still be accessible. He noted that while the app is not fully encrypted, Crooks may have been meticulous in his digital activity.

"What you do see is a pattern of trying to hide things and using aliases," Pack said. "And if he's taking that much care to publicly not be seen picking up deliveries and those types of things you have to assume he's probably taken just as much diligence with his social media and with his digital footprint."

During a Senate Oversight Committee hearing on Tuesday, FBI Director Kash Patel testified that there is currently no evidence suggesting Crooks was connected to any other individuals. "We found no evidence that that individual was literally even speaking to any other human being other than his parents, who he resided with," Patel stated.