Thomas Matthew Crooks, the 20-year-old gunman who attempted to assassinate former President Donald Trump during a rally in Pennsylvania, has been pictured.
Crooks positioned himself on the roof of a nearby manufacturing plant, approximately 130 yards from Trump's rally at the Butler Farm Show grounds on Saturday. From there, he fired shots at the former president, grazing Trump's ear and tragically killing one attendee of the rally.
Immediately after the gunfire began, Secret Service snipers swiftly neutralized Crooks. He was found with an AR-style semi-automatic assault rifle and was wearing attire bearing the logo of a popular gun-related YouTube channel, Demolition Ranch, known for its large following.
Stark images circulated online depict Crooks lying on the ground in all gray clothing, blood streaking across his face and into his long, brown hair, with a Secret Service sniper standing nearby.
According to investigators, bomb-making material was found in a vehicle at Crooks' home, per Sky News.
According to a former classmate who confirmed Crooks' identity, he was not considered particularly unusual, stating: "He didn’t seem like really weird or anything. I would have pegged him as a Republican."
Described as somewhat of a loner with a limited circle of friends, Crooks graduated from Bethel Park High School in 2022. He was also recognized during his senior year with a $500 National Math and Science Initiative Star Award.
Despite being registered as a Republican voter, records indicate that Crooks made a single donation of $15 to the liberal ActBlue political action committee on January 20, 2021, coinciding with President Biden's Inauguration Day.
This donation was made when Crooks was 17 years old, shortly before he turned 18 and registered as a GOP member.
The motive behind Crooks' attempt on Trump's life remains unclear, and investigations are ongoing. Following the incident, law enforcement agencies cordoned off the area around Crooks' residence in Bethel Park, and a bomb squad was seen preparing to enter his home.
The attack, which unfolded during Trump's rally speech, resulted in one fatality among the attendees and left two others critically wounded. Trump, who was treated for his injuries at a Pennsylvania hospital, later departed from the area via 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 incident 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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