In a recent interview with Fox News Digital, Ashton Packe, a retired Nevada law enforcement expert who served on the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force, shed light on the complexities faced by investigators attempting to uncover the motive behind the assassination attempt on former President Trump at a Pennsylvania rally.

The FBI, having obtained the phone of the suspected shooter, 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, for examination, has been encountering difficulties in gaining access to its contents. While it is believed that Crooks acted alone, the investigators have been unable to unlock the encrypted device.

Packe emphasized that modern criminal investigations heavily rely on accessing digital devices for evidence. However, breaking into encrypted phones, even for the country's top agents, can prove to be incredibly difficult. Packe noted that certain companies, such as Apple, possess the capability to access such devices.

If U.S. agencies were to gain access to Crooks' locked phone, Packe suggested that they would need assistance from "foreign adversaries" or "foreign nation-state people." He categorized such efforts as "high-level spy games," involving tools that are unlikely to be utilized by civilian law enforcement.

Decrypting Crooks' cellphone could potentially be a "catch-22" situation, Packe explained. While the right to privacy and security is guaranteed under the Fourth Amendment, law enforcement would need a search warrant and the passcode to gain access to the phone's contents.

In a press conference, Kevin Rojek, the FBI special agent in charge in Pittsburgh, stated that "the information that we have" indicates that Crooks acted alone and that there are currently no public safety concerns. However, an ideology associated with the assailant is yet to be identified, highlighting the nascent stage of the investigation.

Rojek declined to disclose the service provider of Crooks' phone, emphasizing the ongoing nature of the investigation.

The challenges faced by investigators in accessing encrypted devices underscore the evolving landscape of criminal investigations in the digital age. As the investigation into the assassination attempt on former President Trump continues, the question of unlocking Crooks' cellphone remains a crucial hurdle for law enforcement agencies.