Trump survives assassination bid: FBI probes shooter's past

American authorities are investigating the assassination attempt on Donald Trump. One of the people questioned was Bill Jenkins, who trained at a shooting range with the assailant. "I was sitting next to evil. I haven’t been able to sleep thinking about it," Jenkins said in an interview with The Sun.

On June 22 of this year, the shooter in Butler, Pennsylvania, Thomas Matthew Crooks, participated in a firearms training session in Cranberry, Pennsylvania. The FBI questioned a participant of that course, Bill Jenkins. He did not realize he was training with the assailant.

- It was only when the Pittsburgh field office of the FBI called me on Tuesday, while I was driving, and asked me about the class at Keystone that I found out. I was sitting next to evil. I haven’t been able to sleep thinking about it. This guy killed a man with a wife and kids and almost plunged the country into chaos by killing Donald Trump - Jenkins said in an interview with The Sun.

The 62-year-old said that the FBI asked him about Crooks' possible motivation. The US Air Force veteran recalls that, along with the instructor conducting the shooting training, they praised Donald Trump in Crooks' presence.

- It turns out the instructor and I are Trump supporters. We talked about how our country was good under Trump.Our borders were secure, the economy was strong, we were energy independent and he got things done - Jenkins said.

Jenkins remembers that Thomas Crooks only listened to his conversation with the instructor. He didn’t say anything about Trump. But according to Jenkins, the kid was biting his tongue and seemed uncomfortable during that conversation.

On July 13 of this year, Thomas Matthew Crooks tried to kill Donald Trump. At a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, the 20-year-old fired several shots at the former US president, wounding him in the ear. The bullets hit three bystanders, one of whom was killed on the spot. Moments later, Crooks was shot by a Secret Service sniper.