The suspect in the attempted murder of ex-United States President Donald Trump has been named by the Federal Bureau of Investigation as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks from Bethel Park, Pennsylvania. The assassination attempt took place at a political rally on Saturday in Butler, Pennsylvania, where Mr Trump was delivering a speech. The accused was shot dead by the Secret Service just after he reportedly discharged bullets towards the stage where Mr Trump was speaking.
As a result of the surprise attack, one person was killed and two others were gravely injured. Mr Trump was hit in the ear. Pennsylvania’s electoral roll confirms that the youngster was enrolled as a Republican. The impending November 5th election, which sees ex-President Trump contest against President Joe Biden, is the first one where Crooks could have executed his voting rights.
Historical data reveals that when Crooks was 17, he made a contribution of $15 to ActBlue, an organisation that facilitates funding for Democratic and left-leaning politicians, as stated in the Federal Election Commission filing of 2021. The monetary aid was specifically tagged for the Progressive Turnout Project, a nation-wide initiative that encourages Democratic participation in voting. Neither group was immediately available to comment.
Matthew Crooks (53), Crooks’ father, informed media network CNN that he was seeking answers and intended to interact with the police before he could discuss any details regarding his son.
In the meanwhile, law enforcement blocked the roads around the Crooks’ residence in Bethel Park, an hour away from the incident. Local residents Mary and Stanley Priselac, were attempting to comprehend the shocking events and the subsequent media focus on their normally peaceful residential area.
Stanley Priselac (72) commented on the uncommon nature of such events in their street saying, “Nothing ever happens here, everyone pretty much keeps to themselves”. He revealed the general feeling of shock and disbelief in the neighbourhood.
“Never had we witnessed any gun issue, or had to call the cops,” added Mary Priselac (67), questioning the factors that might have provoked Crooks into such drastic action.
In 2022, Thomas Crooks completed his studies at Bethel Park High School, as per information disclosed by the Bethel Park School District and broadcast by local ABC associate, WJET-TV. The school district has committed to co-operate with the active investigation by law enforcement linked to this case, however, their ability to share information with the public is restricted. They did not promptly get back to an inquiry posed by Reuters.
Thomas Crooks was the recipient of a £500 ‘star award’ from the National Math and Science Initiative, as reported by Pittsburgh Tribune-Review newspaper. A video of the class of 2022’s graduation ceremony, as highlighted by the New York Times, displays Crooks being handed his high school diploma amid applause. An online video clip from the same event portrays Crooks with spectacles, wearing a black graduation robe, and interacting with a school dignitary. The legitimacy of the video has not been promptly validated by Reuters.
According to law enforcement authorities, Thomas Crooks did not have any identification while at the shooting scene and his identity was affirmed through alternative techniques. “At the moment, we are examining photographs and trying to compare his DNA to establish biometric identification,” proclaimed Kevin Rojek, the FBI agent in charge, during a press conference.
Consequent attempts by Reuters to find social media or other online activity by Crooks were unsuccessful. Meta, the company that oversees Facebook and Instagram, didn’t respond immediately to queries relating to the deletion of accounts linked to the suspect.