Ex-students label Crooks as miserable shooters
At a Republican campaign event, Thomas Matthew Crooks opens fire and injures former President Donald Trump at the ear. Security forces kill the attacker shortly thereafter. Former classmates recall that Crooks showed no talent for firearms during high school.
The Trump attacker Thomas Matthew Crooks, according to statements from former classmates, was poor in handling firearms. In an interview with ABC News, Jameson Myers, who went to elementary school and the same high school as Crooks, said that the 20-year-old wanted to join the protection team in his first year at Bethel Park High School but was rejected during the preseason preparation.
"He didn't even make it into the team," said Myers. "He was asked not to return because his shooting was so incredibly bad, and his participation was considered dangerous." After that, he no longer appeared at the tryouts. An anonymous member of the protection team told the broadcaster that the Trump attacker "wasn't really suitable for the team." He added that "he also shot terribly."
"He knew if someone wasn't an ideal candidate"
Crooks' behavior also caused criticism. The "New York Post" quotes two former classmates recalling some things Thomas said and how he interacted with others. "There were a few things that Thomas said and how he acted around people," they quoted. "He made some inappropriate jokes, which wasn't appropriate when there were firearms in the school environment." The rifle team coach was also not convinced by Crooks. "Our old coach was a strict man, having trained sharpshooters from the Navy, so he had a sense for people. He knew if someone wasn't an ideal candidate."
In a statement, the Bethel Park School District confirmed that Crooks' name was not in the shooting team roster and there were no records of his attempt to join. However, the Clairton Sportsmen Club confirmed that Crooks was a member of their shooting club.
Another former classmate, Jason Kohler, told CBS Pittsburgh that Crooks was a loner who was "relentlessly" bullied. He was known for wearing hunting clothes in class. Mark Sigafoos, who was in the same year group, however, said he had never seen Crooks being bullied. He described the Trump attacker as very intelligent, sociable, and very engaged in class. Classmate Sarah D'Angelo reminded the "Wall Street Journal" that Crooks "had a few friends," but "no real friend circle." During free time at school, he often played video games on his laptop.
Despite his aspirations to join the protection team at Bethel Park High School, Thomas Matthew Crooks' poor shooting skills led to his rejection. Subsequently, his attempts to improve in politics, potentially aiming for a position within the United States of America's protection services, seemed doomed due to his inadequacies with firearms.
