What we know about the shooting of Trump and the gunman.
Gita Blog Sport - The initial portrait emerging of the 20-year-old Pennsylvania man accused of attempting to assassinate former Republican president Donald Trump at a campaign rally on Saturday is complex and incomplete. Authorities report that Secret Service agents fatally shot the suspect after he opened fire.
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| (image source : NBC News) |
Thomas Matthew Crooks lived in Bethel Park, a predominantly white, affluent Pittsburgh suburb. He shared a home with his parents, both licensed behavioral care counselors. Public records show no criminal or traffic citations, nor any financial difficulties like foreclosures.
Crooks' actions during his final years at Bethel Park High School offer conflicting insights into his political views. As a junior, on Joe Biden's first day as president, Crooks donated $15 to the Progressive Turnout Project, a Democratic-aligned political action committee.
However, eight months later, early in his senior year, Crooks registered as a Republican voter. He maintained this affiliation when voting in the November 2022 midterms, months after graduating from Bethel Park High. There, he was among students receiving a $500 National Math and Science Initiative "star award".
A self-described former schoolmate of Crooks told reporters on Sunday about his ex-companion's experiences with bullying. The man shared with NBC News and other outlets that Crooks was "bullied almost every day" by his peers.
The former classmate explained that Crooks' preference for "hunting" and "military" attire, along with his habit of eating alone, made him a target for ridicule. Other students viewed him as a "loner" and an "outcast".
“You know how kids are these days – they’re going to see someone like that and they’re going to target him because they think it’s funny or whatever,” the man told journalists.
Reports indicate Crooks had an account on Discord, an online chat app originally designed for gamers. The platform gained notoriety when the white supremacist responsible for killing 10 people at a grocery store in a predominantly Black Buffalo neighborhood used it to discuss his attack plans.
Discord informed gaming news outlet Kotaku that the account seemingly linked to Crooks "was rarely utilized". The company stated, “We have no evidence that it was used to plan this incident or discuss his political views,”. They pledged to cooperate with law enforcement and emphasized, “Discord strongly condemns violence of any kind, including political violence.”
On Saturday, Crooks thrust himself into the political spotlight when he traveled about an hour north of Bethel Park to Butler County, Pennsylvania. He positioned himself on the roof of a bottle manufacturing plant near where Trump was addressing supporters at a rally as part of his bid to return to the White House in November.
Several rally attendees listening to the former president's speech outside the venue reported spotting Crooks on the plant rooftop with an AR-style rifle, aiming towards Trump. They claimed officers didn't immediately respond to their warnings. These assertions prompted local district attorney Richard Goldlinger to tell CNN that investigators urgently needed to determine how Crooks "would've gotten to the location where he was".
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| (image source : NBC News) |
Crooks managed to fire multiple shots at the stage where Trump was speaking, less than 500 feet (152.4 meters) away. One spectator was killed, and two others were critically injured. Trump reported that a bullet "pierced the upper part" of his right ear, which was visibly bloodied, but he was otherwise "fine". Secret Service agents quickly removed him from the scene.
A Secret Service spokesperson stated that agents returned fire, killing Crooks.
ABC News cited multiple law enforcement sources who revealed that the rifle used in the attack had been legally purchased by the suspect's father, Matthew Crooks. Investigators reached this conclusion after the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms conducted an urgent trace on the weapon.
The Associated Press reported that authorities discovered bomb-making materials in Crooks' home and car, which was parked near the Trump rally site.
The Wall Street Journal added that police received several reports of suspicious packages in Crooks' vicinity, prompting officials to dispatch bomb technicians.
Disturbing images circulating on social media revealed Crooks wearing a T-shirt featuring a YouTube channel logo focused on firearms and explosives content.
Later that evening, the channel's host shared an Instagram post showing law enforcement standing over Crooks' body, with part of the T-shirt visible, captioned: "What the hell?"
The FBI confirmed Crooks as Trump's would-be attacker late Saturday. CNN reportedly contacted Matthew Crooks for comment – he expressed a desire to speak with authorities and understand “what the hell is going on" before discussing his son.