Attempts on Trump's life were often mobbed
**Motives Unknown, Thomas Crooks Was a Quiet Student, Known for Being Bullied: **
The shooter during a campaign rally for former US President Donald Trump in the state of Pennsylvania caused shock beyond US borders. Trump survived the attack on Saturday in Butler by a hair's breadth, suffering only a slight injury to the ear. A 50-year-old firefighter and father died, and two other men in the crowd were severely injured. The suspected shooter, who fired several shots from the roof of a nearby building, was shot by Secret Service agents. The FBI identified him as the 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks from Bethel Park, Pennsylvania.
Never Spoke About Politics
A driver's license photo of Crooks shows a young man with side-parted dark blond hair, glasses, and a few freckles on his face. Crooks' former classmates describe him as a "quiet" student who often seemed "lonely," as reported by ABC News. One classmate said he had been "socially withdrawn." He couldn't remember hearing Crooks talk about politics in general or Trump specifically. Jason Kohler, who claimed to have attended the same high school as the alleged shooter, spoke to reporters, saying Crooks had been bullied. "He was quiet, but he was just bullied. He was bullied so much." Crooks, who occasionally wore hunter's clothing, was also mocked for his clothing style.
Crooks reportedly graduated from Bethel Park High School in 2022, which has approximately 1400 students. In the same year, he received a $500 prize from the National Math and Science Initiative. In a clip of the graduation ceremony in 2022, Crooks can be seen walking onto the stage under subdued applause after his name was called. The news outlet describes him as a slim young man wearing glasses and a black graduation robe.
Dan Grzybek, a local councilman from the area where Crooks grew up, described his neighborhood to the New York Times as "fairly solidly middle class, perhaps upper middle class." The Times reported further that the care home where Crooks had worked was shocked by his actions in Butler.
Legally Obtained Weapon, No Military Connections
After the attempted assassination of Trump, investigators found a suspicious item in Crooks' car, which was examined by bomb experts and is being further analyzed. According to reports, explosive material was seized as evidence. The investigating authorities are also examining the data from Crooks' phone.
According to FBI Special Agent Kevin Rojek, Crooks used a semi-automatic rifle, a common type in the US known as the AR, for his crime, which was legally acquired. The investigators believe the weapon belonged to Crooks' father. However, it was unclear how his son obtained the gun.
According to Rojek, no evidence of a psychological condition was found in Crooks at first. According to Pentagon spokesman Pat Ryder, Crooks had no military connections. The FBI is investigating the attempted assassination for attempted murder and potential domestic terrorism.
A Lone Gunman, No Ideology
Crooks is described as an isolated individual with no known ideology. The investigation into his motives continues.
The FBI believes that Crooks acted alone. The investigators have not identified any "ideology" behind the act so far. Crooks' political views are still unclear. According to media reports, he was registered as a voter for Trump's Republicans. However, he also donated money to a progressive group for political actions that has connections to the Democratic Party.
Discord reported that it identified a user account that apparently belonged to the suspect. However, it was "seldom used," Discord stated. They found "no evidence that it was used by Crooks to plan this incident, incite violence, or discuss his political views."
Apparently, Crooks' father cannot explain what drove his son to shoot at Trump. He is trying to clarify "what in the world is going on," before he can publicly speak about his son, Matthew Crooks told CNN.
In the wake of the attempt on former US President Donald Trump's life during the United States Presidential Election 2024 campaign rally, investigations revealed that the suspected shooter, Thomas Matthew Crooks, had no apparent ideology or strong political alignments. Despite being registered as a voter for Trump's Republicans, Crooks also donated to a progressive group with ties to the Democratic Party.
Amidst the ongoing investigation into Crooks' motives, his former classmates reported that he was a quiet and often lonely student, who rarely spoke about politics or Trump specifically, even being a victim of bullying due to his clothing style.
