Thomas Matthew Crooks - Still frequently discussed: What is known about the alleged Trump assassin
Shots during a campaign rally of former US President Donald Trump in the state of Pennsylvania caused shock beyond US borders. Trump survived the attack on Saturday (local time) in Butler with just 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 audience were severely injured.
The alleged 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 in Pennsylvania.
A driver's license photo of Crooks shows him as a young man with side-parted dark blond hair, glasses, and a few freckles on his face. Crooks' former classmates described him as a "quiet" student who often seemed "lonely."
Crooks was "socially withdrawn"
A classmate reportedly said that Crooks had been "socially withdrawn." He couldn't remember ever hearing Crooks talk about politics in general or Trump specifically.
Jason Kohler, who 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 mocked for his clothing style.
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 newspaper reported further that Crooks had worked in a nursing home, and the institution was shocked by his actions in Butler.
Shot with legally obtained weapon
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 AR-type rifle, which is very common in the US and was legally purchased, for his crime. The investigators believe that the weapon belonged to Crooks' father. However, it was unclear how his son obtained the weapon.
According to Rojek, no evidence of a psychological condition was found in Crooks at first. According to Pentagon spokesman Pat Ryder, the young man had no military connections. The FBI is investigating the attempted attack on Trump for attempted murder and possible domestic terrorism.
Lone gunman attempted to assassinate Donald Trump
The FBI believes that Crooks acted alone. The investigators have not yet identified any "ideology" behind the crime.
Crooks' political views were initially unclear. Media reports indicate that he was a registered voter for Trump's Republicans. However, he also donated money to a progressive group for political actions, which has ties to the Democratic Party.
The online network Discord reported that it had identified a user account that apparently belonged to the suspect. However, it was reportedly only "rarely used." Discord found "no indication 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 tried to clarify, "what the devil is going on," before he could publicly speak about his son, Matthew Crooks told CNN.
- The FBI identified the alleged shooter of former US-President Donald Trump during his campaign rally in Pennsylvania as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks from Bethel Park.
- According to reports, Crooks, the suspected shooter, was a registered voter for Trump's Republicans but also donated money to a progressive group with ties to the Democratic Party.
- The FBI is investigating Crooks for attempted murder and possible domestic terrorism, as he acted alone and the motive behind the crime remains unclear.
- The Federal Police are also examining Crooks' phone data and found no evidence of a psychological condition or military connections.
- The father of the suspected shooter, Thomas Matthew Crooks, expressed his confusion and concern, stating, "I just don't understand what the devil is going on."
