Thomas Matthew Crooks - Still frequently discussed: What is known about the alleged Trump assassin
Shots during a campaign event for 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, sustaining 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 alleged shooter, who had fired several shots from the roof of a nearby building, was shot and killed 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," as reported by ABC News.
Crooks was "socially withdrawn"
A classmate reportedly said that Crooks had been "socially withdrawn."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 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 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 at a nursing home, and the institution was shocked by his actions in Butler.
Used a legally obtained weapon
After the attempted assassination of Trump, investigators found a suspicious item in Crooks' car, which was examined by bomb experts and further analyzed. Explosive material was seized as evidence. Investigative agencies are also examining the data from Crooks' phone.
According to FBI Special Agent Kevin Rojek, Crooks used a semi-automatic AR-type rifle for his crime, which is widely available in the US and was legally acquired. The investigators believe that the weapon belonged to Crooks' father. However, it was unclear how his son came into possession of the gun.
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 Crooks acted alone. The investigators have not identified any "ideology" behind the crime.
Crooks' political views were initially unclear. Media reports indicated that he was a registered voter for Trump's Republicans. However, he had 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 appeared to belong to the suspect. However, it was reportedly only "seldom 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 alleged shooter, identified by the FBI as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks from Bethel Park in Pennsylvania, attempted to assassinate former US-President Donald Trump during a campaign event in Pennsylvania.
- Secret Service agents killed Crooks after he fired several shots from a nearby building, and investigations revealed that he was a "socially withdrawn" individual who had been bullied in school.
- The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is examining Crooks' phone data and a suspicious item found in his car, while Special Agent Kevin Rojek confirmed that Crooks used a legally obtained semi-automatic AR-type rifle for the attack, which was believed to belong to his father.
- The United States of America is currently investigating the attempted assassination of Trump for attempted murder and possible domestic terrorism, with no clear ideology or political affiliations found in Crooks' actions or views.
- The men in the crowd who were injured during the attack included two other men, in addition to the 50-year-old firefighter and father who tragically lost his life.
