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A 20-year-old man who attempted to assassinate former President Donald Trump at a rally on Saturday first drew attention from law enforcement when spectators noticed him acting strangely outside the event. According to a report on AP, this tip triggered a frantic search, but officers failed to locate him before he climbed a roof and opened fire.
The attack, which resulted in the death of one spectator and injuries to two others, has left investigators searching for clues about Thomas Matthew Crooks of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania. The FBI is treating the incident as a potential act of domestic terrorism. However, the lack of a clear ideological motive has allowed conspiracy theories to spread.
“I urge everyone — everyone, please, don’t make assumptions about his motives or his affiliations,” President Joe Biden said Sunday from the White House. “Let the FBI do their job, and their partner agencies do their job. I’ve instructed that this investigation be thorough and swift.”
The FBI believes Crooks, who had bomb-making materials in his car, acted alone. They have found no threatening comments or ideological posts on his social media accounts. Crooks was shot dead by Secret Service agents after he fired toward Trump, who was swiftly escorted off stage. Trump later reported a minor injury to his right ear but said he was in "great spirits" ahead of the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee.
Corey Comperatore, a former fire chief, was killed in the attack. Pennsylvania’s governor described Comperatore, 50, as a hero for shielding his family. Crooks' relatives have not responded to media inquiries, and his father, Matthew Crooks, told CNN he would speak to law enforcement before commenting publicly.
Reports indicate that rallygoers noticed Crooks acting suspiciously near the magnetometers and later climbing a ladder. Despite efforts to locate him, Crooks reached the roof and fired at Trump before being shot by Secret Service snipers.
Butler County Sheriff Michael Slupe described how a local officer encountered Crooks on the roof and had to retreat for safety, moments before Crooks fired his shot. FBI agents are now examining Crooks’ background and social media activity. Discord, a social media platform Crooks used sporadically, reported no evidence of violent or political content.
Crooks’ political affiliations remain unclear. He was registered as a Republican but had donated to a progressive political action committee on the day Biden was inaugurated. A graduate of Bethel Park High School in 2022, Crooks had received an award for math and science but was reportedly bullied and isolated during his school years. He was also rejected from the school's rifle team due to poor shooting skills.
Crooks worked as a dietary aide at a nursing home, where his employer expressed shock at his involvement in the attack. Authorities have established a blockade near Crooks’ home in a modest neighborhood outside Pittsburgh, continuing their investigation.
Crooks used an AR-style rifle, believed to be purchased by his father. It remains unclear if he took the gun with or without permission. A video shows Crooks lying motionless on a roof near the rally site, wearing a T-shirt from Demolition Ranch, a YouTube channel that features firearm videos. The channel’s creator, Matt Carriker, reacted with disbelief upon learning about Crooks’ actions.
[Information sourced from AP]
