Thomas Matthew Crooks (September 20, 2003 – July 13, 2024) was an American man who attempted to assassinate Donald Trump, the former president of the United States and presumptive Republican Party nominee for the 2024 presidential election.[1][2]
Recollections about Crooks from peers relating to his high school persona, political views, and biographical information have varied considerably and are inconsistent with one another.[3] On July 13, 2024, at a political rally near Butler, Pennsylvania, Crooks shot at Trump with a rifle from a nearby rooftop while Trump was giving a speech, injuring Trump and two attendees, and killing another. He was subsequently killed by the Secret Service Counter Assault Team. Misinformation and conspiracy theories about him have proliferated. An investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is underway and his motivation remains unknown.
Early life and education
Thomas Matthew Crooks was born on September 20, 2003,[1] and was raised in Bethel Park, Pennsylvania.[4] The neighborhood he lived in was described as "middle-class, maybe upper-middle class".[5] Both of his parents worked as licensed social workers.[6][7] Recollections about Crooks from peers relating to his high school persona and biographical information have varied considerably and are inconsistent with one another.[3]
He attended Bethel Park High School, where he was known as an above-average student, and graduated in 2022.[8][7] Classmates and school officials characterized him as quiet, with classmates claiming he was often bullied,[9][7][2] including for his quiet demeanor, and for wearing camouflage hunting outfits and masks to school.[10][9] Crooks enjoyed playing chess and video games, and was learning how to code.[11] He received a $500 "star award" the same year from the National Math and Science Initiative.[12][7]
Current and former Bethel Park High School students have said that in high school, Crooks tried out for his school's rifle team, but did not make the team due to poor aim during tryouts; the Bethel Park School District has said there is no record of Crooks trying out for the team.[13][14] He briefly appeared in a 2023 advertisement for the investment firm BlackRock which was filmed at his high school; BlackRock pulled the ad from circulation after the attempted assassination.[15][6]
Crooks received an associate degree in engineering science from Community College of Allegheny County two months before the shooting. He was employed as a dietary aide in a local nursing home at the time of the shooting.[11][14][5] He had no known criminal record,[1][16] and the FBI said there was no indication he had mental health problems.[17] The U.S. Department of Defense found that he had no history of military service.[18] However, a former classmate said that Crooks was previously interested in military service as a means to access a college education.[19] He had a membership at a local shooting club for at least a year.[20]
Attempted assassination of Donald Trump
On July 14, 2024, the FBI identified Crooks as the shooter behind the attempted assassination of Donald Trump the previous day.[21] Crooks shot Trump in the upper right ear at a campaign rally near Butler, Pennsylvania.[22] He also shot three adult male audience members,[23] killing 50-year-old Corey Comperatore and critically injuring two others.[24] He used a semi-automatic AR-15 style rifle that had been legally purchased by his father, according to law enforcement sources.[25] Crooks was killed by a member of the United States Secret Service Counter Assault Team after he began firing.[26] Bomb-making materials were found inside his vehicle and at his home.[18] An investigation by the FBI is underway and his motivation remains unknown.[27] Misinformation and conspiracy theories about Crooks have proliferated.[28]
Political activities
Recollections about Crooks’s political views from teachers, classmates, and peers who reportedly interacted with him have varied significantly and are inconsistent with one another.[3]
Public records have not given any good indication of his views; his political activities have additionally seemingly showcased diverging and internally contradicting beliefs, with no known posts on social media websites or writings indicating his ideology.[29] Authorities have stated that it is unknown what his political views are, or whether the assassination attempt was related to them.[3]
On January 20, 2021, at the age of 17, he donated $15 to the Progressive Turnout Project, a liberal voter turnout group, through the Democratic Party donation platform ActBlue.[8][12][14][30] His donation was made the same day President Joe Biden was sworn into office.[7] According to the Progressive Turnout Project, he made the donation in response to an e-mail about "tuning into" the inauguration and was unsubscribed from the group's mailing list in 2022.[6] His voter registration was active since September 2021, the month he turned 18,[1] and his party registration was Republican.[1][2][12][31] Officials say he had only voted in the 2022 midterm elections.[6]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Matthew_Crooks
