BlackRock Inc. has pulled an ad that features Thomas Matthew Crooks - the man who attempted to assassinate Donald Trump.
Crooks - the 20-year-old who attempted to assassinate former President Donald Trump at a rally in Pennsylvania - nearly succeeded in his heinous plan after successfully positioning himself on the roof of a nearby manufacturing plant.
The rooftop was located approximately 130 yards from the Butler Farm Show grounds, where Trump was speaking on Saturday.
He fired shots at Trump, grazing the former president's ear and tragically killing one rally attendee.
Secret Service snipers quickly neutralized Crooks after the gunfire began. He was found with an AR-style semi-automatic assault rifle and was wearing clothing bearing the logo of Demolition Ranch, a popular gun-related YouTube channel.
In a shocking development, it has been revealed that he previously appeared in a commercial for BlackRock - one of the world's leading multinational investment companies.
In a statement to Reuters on Sunday, BlackRock explained that Crooks was a student at Bethel Park High School and appeared in the 2022 ad alongside other unpaid students.
“In 2022, we ran an ad featuring a teacher from Bethel Park High School, in which several unpaid students briefly appeared in the background, including Thomas Matthew Crooks,” the company stated, confirming the ad’s removal.
The 30-second commercial, which highlighted an AP and honors economics class attended by Crooks, depicted him interacting with his teacher.
Crooks graduated the same year the ad aired and was among a dozen students honored with the National Math & Science Initiative Star Awards, according to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.
While the ad has been pulled from circulation, BlackRock noted it remains available for investigators and continues to circulate on social media.
“The assassination attempt on former President Trump is abhorrent,” the company declared. “We’re thankful former President Trump wasn’t seriously injured, and thinking about all the innocent bystanders and victims of this awful act, especially the person who was killed.”
The attack, which occurred during Trump's rally speech, resulted in one fatality among the attendees and left two others critically wounded.
Trump was treated for his injuries at a Pennsylvania hospital and later departed the area on his private plane, Trump Force One, to Newark Liberty International Airport.
President Joe Biden contacted Trump shortly after the attack, and the White House confirmed discussions with Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro and Butler Mayor Bob Dandoy regarding the incident.
This marks the first serious attempt on a president or presidential candidate's life since the assassination attempt on Ronald Reagan in 1981, occurring just days before Trump's anticipated nomination at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee.
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