More details emerge about the perpetrator, Thomas Matthew Crooks (20), with explosives found in cars and houses

The gunman fired several shots at the former president from a rooftop about 450 feet away with a semiautomatic rifle. One person in the audience was killed and two were seriously injured. Trump was shot in the ear. He spoke of “a bullet that went through his right ear.”

Images on social media showed the gunman being shot by police on a rooftop.

Registered Republican

The assailant was a 20-year-old man from Pennsylvania. Multiple media outlets quickly confirmed the gunman’s name, and the FBI also confirmed his identity. The statement said: “The FBI has identified 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks from Bethel Park, Pennsylvania as participating in the assassination of former President Donald Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania on July 13.”

Crooks lived about 30 miles from the meeting place. He worked at Bethel Park Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation Center delivering meals. In 2022, the man graduated from Bethel Park High School. The school has now confirmed that Crooks did attend school there. They are fully cooperating with the investigation. That same year, he received another award and $500 from the National Math and Science Program.

According to the former school psychologist, Crooks was quiet but “polite,” and, to his knowledge, he never needed to be disciplined. A colleague and former classmate described Crooks to CNN as “super sweet” and “really nice to work with,” but “a little quiet.” He was “bookworm He was not very popular, but not “super bullied.” He had a good group of friends at school and “seemed very happy.” He was said to be “not a radical” and had never expressed political views at work. “He was a very, very good person who did very bad things. I just wish I knew why.”

Donate

Crooks is listed as a Republican in a Pennsylvania voter database. This year’s presidential election will be the first time he is of voting age.

However, Federal Election Commission records show that in January 2021, 17-year-old Thomas Crooks donated $15 to a Democratic-leaning political action committee called Progressive Voter Turnout ProjectThe group tried to get Democratic voters to the polls during the last US election.

Crooks’ mother is registered as a Democrat and his father is registered as a Republican.

Bethel Park, where Crooks lived, is now occupied by police and Secret Service agents. The Daily Mail spoke to neighbors of the family who were described as quiet and “a bit private.”

Crooks’ father, Matthew, spoke briefly to CNN. “First I’m trying to find out what happened. I’m going to talk to the police before I say anything.” The gun used in the attack was purchased legally by Matthew more than six months ago, according to the FBI. Crooks’ family is cooperating with the investigation, according to the FBI.

Explosives, including an improvised bomb, were found in Thomas Crooks’ car, which was parked near the Trump rally, and bomb-making materials were found at his home, police sources said. (Read more below the photo)

Have you ever been exposed to firearms?

Some right-wing media claimed that the perpetrators were members of the anti-fascist movement Antifa, but there is no evidence to prove this and it seems unlikely. There is a lot of false information about the incident circulating on social media. NBC News During the attack, the gunman reportedly wore a T-shirt that “linked to one of the most popular gun channels on YouTube.”

“We’re tired of it. It’s a horrible thing,” said the Clayton Sportsman’s Club, a local shooting club that owns several shooting ranges in Clayton, Pennsylvania, where members can take target practice.

Additionally, Crooks wanted to be a part of the high school’s “gun club.” The school district previously said there was no record of Crooks ever signing up to join the team and that he “never showed up on the roster.” But now a former classmate has a different story. “Not only was he not selected for the team, he was asked not to come back because his shooting was so poor and he was considered dangerous,” said Jameson Myers. Another member of the team recalled that Crooks “shot horribly and comically” and was “not a good fit for the rifle team.” “He left the team on his first day.”

According to Pennsylvania public court records, Crooks has no criminal record. The FBI has also found no evidence that Crooks has had any previous contact with law enforcement or a history of mental health issues.

Going it alone

The perpetrator may have acted alone, according to the FBI, which is investigating an attempted murder but is also considering “possible acts of domestic terrorism.”

At this time, investigators say they have not yet determined what the ideology of the gunman, Thomas Crooks, was. The FBI has so far found no evidence that he made threats before the incident. The agency obtained the perpetrator’s phone, which is the first priority in finding Crooks’ motive. Digital evidence and the attacker’s social media accounts are being searched.

To date, the FBI has received more than 2,000 tips.