Here’s what we know about Thomas Matthew Crooks, the suspected Trump rally shooter
Former US President Donald Trump was injured Saturday evening during a campaign rally in Pennsylvania, in what the FBI says was an assassination attempt.
Donald Trump Injured in Pennsylvania Rally Shooting
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has identified 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, as the suspect in Saturday’s attempted assassination of former US President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump. The incident occurred at the Butler Farm Show in Butler, Pennsylvania. Crooks was shot and killed by the US Secret Service seconds after allegedly firing shots toward the stage where Trump was speaking. Trump sustained an injury to his ear from the gunfire, and the attack is under investigation as an attempted assassination.
The FBI is currently working to determine the motive behind the attack, which resulted in the death of one rally attendee and critically injured two others. The Secret Service confirmed that Trump was quickly escorted off the stage with blood on his face but was reported safe.
Who Was Thomas Matthew Crooks?
State voter records show that Crooks was a registered Republican. The upcoming November 5 US presidential election would have been the first time Crooks was eligible to vote in a presidential race. Despite this, Crooks had previously made a $15 donation at age 17 to ActBlue, a political action committee that supports Democratic and left-leaning politicians. This information was reported by Reuters, citing a 2021 Federal Election Commission filing.
Crooks lived approximately an hour from the site of the Trump rally shooting. According to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, he graduated from Bethel Park High School in 2022 and had received a $500 “star award” from the National Math and Science Initiative. A video of the 2022 graduation ceremony, cited by the New York Times, allegedly shows Crooks receiving his high school diploma. However, Reuters could not verify the video’s authenticity at the time of reporting.
Law Enforcement Response and Investigation
Law enforcement officials stated that Crooks did not carry identification at the shooting site and had to be identified using other methods. FBI special agent in charge, Kevin Rojek, mentioned during a press briefing that they were using photographs, DNA, and biometric confirmation to identify Crooks.
The Secret Service reported that Crooks was shot after firing multiple rounds from an elevated position outside the rally venue. Two officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, told the Associated Press that Crooks was engaged by members of the Secret Service counterassault team. A rifle, believed to be a semi-automatic based on the Colt AR-15 design, was recovered at the scene.
Family and Community Reaction
Crooks’ father, 53-year-old Matthew Crooks, told a national media organization that he was trying to understand what happened and would wait to speak with law enforcement before commenting further on his son’s actions. The US Federal Aviation Administration announced the closure of airspace over Bethel Park for “special security reasons.”
According to USA Today, dozens of law enforcement vehicles, including agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and a bomb squad, were seen outside a residence listed on Crooks’ voter registration record.
The investigation into the motive and circumstances surrounding the attack continues as the nation reacts to the shocking incident at the campaign rally.
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