Trump assassination attempt: Who is Thomas Crooks, the man accused of shooting Trump?

BUTLER, Pa. — The FBI identified the shooter who fired at former President Donald Trump as Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania.

Here is what we know about Crooks.

Who is the gunman?

The FBI as of early Sunday morning had not released much about Crooks, who was shot and killed by the FBI on Saturday, other than his name and where he was from. But our sister station WPXI said that Allegheny County voting records showed he was a registered Republican, but federal campaign finance records list a donation of $15 he made to the Progressive Turnout Project. The donation was made via the Democratic donation platform ActBlue.

The donation was made on Jan. 20, 2021, the same day President Joe Biden was sworn into office, The Associated Press reported.

Crooks has no previous criminal history according to online court records, WPXI reported.

Classmate Sarah D’Angelo said she saw Crooks nearly every day before school in homeroom at Bethel Park High School. Most of the time he would be finishing homework or playing video games on his school-supplied computer, the Post reported. She said he was a quiet kid and was nice to people who talked to him. She said he would wear hunting and camouflage-style clothing but that it was normal for the community to dress that way.

“There were a few people that were more violent in school,” she told the newspaper. “He was not one of those kids.”

Jason Kohler spoke to CNN about Crooks, claiming that the shooter had a “target on his back” while attending Bethel Park High School.

Kohler said he wasn’t in the same class as Crooks but that they would see each other in the hallways, adding that Crooks had “no facial expression” and that he had been bullied for not fitting in with the rest of the school.

Kohler called Crooks “a smart kid” from what he had heard.

The AP reported that there is no military record for Crooks. There had been speculation that Crooks had served considering the clothing he was wearing on Saturday and the range that he had fired from.

“We’ve confirmed with each of the military service branches that there is no military service affiliation for the suspect with that name or date of birth in any branch, active or reserve component in their respective databases,” Pentagon press secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder told the AP.

The Washington Post discovered that Crooks was a dietary aide at Bethel Park Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation Center.

Marcy Grimm, the center’s administrator said in a statement, “We are shocked and saddened to learn of his involvement as Thomas Matthew Crooks performed his job without concern and his background check was clean.”

Grimm said the center is “fully cooperating” with law enforcement but cannot comment further because of the investigation.

Crooks’ father, Matthew Crooks, told CNN that he was trying to figure out “what the hell is going on,” but would not say anything further until he spoke to law enforcement, the AP reported.

A blockade was set up near the family’s home as law enforcement investigated.

Bethel Park is about an hour south of the Butler County fairgrounds, Fox News reported.

What happened during Trump’s rally?

Trump was injured in an apparent assassination attempt Saturday as he began speaking at a campaign rally in Western Pennsylvania. One bystander was killed and two others were seriously injured. It is the first assassination attempt made on a sitting president or presidential candidate since 1981.

The former president was wounded in the ear, three bystanders were shot. One was killed and two others are in critical condition. Their identities have not been released as of Sunday morning, Fox News reported.

The gunman, who used an “AR-style rifle” was killed. The Butler County District Attorney Richard Goldinger said Crooks was outside the rally on top of a building adjacent to the rally site.

The gun used on Saturday was purchased by the gunman’s father at least six months ago, two law enforcement members told the AP.

The building is on the property of AGR International Inc., the AP reported. AGR International is a manufacturing plant.

No members of law enforcement or members of the Secret Service were wounded.

The FBI said no motive has been uncovered, the AP reported.

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