What is known about Thomas Matthew Crooks, the attempted assassin of Trump?

A 20-year-old man named Thomas Matthew Crooks, who hails from Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, graduated from high school in 2022.

What is known about Thomas Matthew Crooks, the attempted assassin of Trump?
What is known about Thomas Matthew Crooks, the attempted assassin of Trump?

A 20-year-old man from western Pennsylvania, identified as Thomas Matthew Crooks, is suspected of attempting to assassinate former President Donald Trump at a campaign event in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday.

During a rally in a small town, Trump was reportedly shot in the upper part of his right ear by a crook while speaking to rallygoers ahead of the upcoming Republican National Convention in Milwaukee.

Armed men stand over a downed suspect, whose face is blurred
Authorities approach the suspected gunman from where he fell after the U.S. Secret Service returned fire after an apparent assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump. (Obtained by Planet Chronicle Digital)

During the incident, one attendee was killed and two others were injured, the agency stated. The identity of the victims has not been disclosed yet.

Trump holds fist
Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, is the shooter accused of attempting to assassinate former President Donald Trump during a campaign event in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

"The FBI has identified Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, as the suspect involved in the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump on July 13, in Butler, Pennsylvania, according to a statement from the FBI to Planet Chronicle Digital. The investigation into the incident remains active and ongoing."

A 20-year-old crook from Bethel Park, a Pittsburgh suburb an hour south of the assassination attempt location, was involved in the crime.

Eyewitnesses Trump shooting
People who attended Trump's campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, described to Planet Chronicle the chaos that ensued following an attempted assassination on the former president. (REUTERS/Brendan McDermid/Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images/jake Rosen/Planet Chronicle)

Nearly two dozen Bethel Park High School graduates, including one reportedly a crook, earned a $500 "star award" from the National Math and Science Initiative in 2022.

According to the New York Times, a video of his graduation ceremony online revealed that he walked the stage with little applause and briefly posed with a school official.

According to a search by Planet Chronicle Digital, Crooks would have turned 21 years old this September. He had no reported criminal or traffic citations and no reported bankruptcies, liens or foreclosures.

According to voting records, Crooks was a registered Republican, but only participated in the Nov. 8, 2022, state election due to his age. Voting records do not reveal who a person votes for.

The FBI will persist in its examination of Crooks and any additional data it can acquire.

The investigation is ongoing, and the FBI is encouraging anyone with information to submit photos or videos online at FBI.gov/butler or call 1-800-CALL-FBI.

Planet Chronicle Digital's Landon Mion contributed to this report.

by Scott McDonald

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