Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, has been identified as the gunman who attempted to assassinate former President Donald Trump during a rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday.
This shocking incident unfolded at the Butler Farm Show grounds, where Crooks fired shots from a manufacturing plant roof over 130 yards away, grazing Trump’s ear and tragically killing a rally attendee.
Secret Service snipers swiftly neutralized Crooks after he began shooting. He was found with an AR-style semi-automatic assault rifle and was wearing attire associated with the popular gun YouTube channel Demolition Ranch, boasting over 11 million subscribers.
According to a former classmate who recognized Crooks from photos, he described him as not particularly unusual, stating, “e didn’t seem like really weird or anything. I would have pegged him as a Republican.” The classmate also mentioned Crooks as more of a loner with a limited social circle. U.S. Secret Service agents surround Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump at a Saturday, July 13, 2024, campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. AP
Born and raised in Bethel Park, a suburb of Pittsburgh, Crooks was confirmed as a registered Republican according to state voter records.
Despite his party affiliation, he made a $15 donation to the liberal ActBlue political action committee on President Biden’s Inauguration Day in 2021, when he was 17 years old.
Crooks graduated from Bethel Park High School in 2022 and was captured on video receiving his diploma. He earned a $500 National Math and Science Initiative Star Award senior year.
The motive behind CCrooks’ attack on the former president remains unclear. The FBI has confirmed his identity as the perpetrator of the attack, and investigations are ongoing.
Local authorities have cordoned off the area around CCrooks’residence, with reports indicating preparations by the Allegheny County bomb squad to enter his home early Sunday morning.
The community remains stunned as details continue to emerge about this unprecedented act of violence.
Stay tuned to local and national news outlets for updates on this developing story.
