Gunman Thomas Matthew Crooks: What we know about the Trump assassination attempt | US News
Thomas Matthew Crooks has been identified as the assailant in the attack against Donald Trump on Saturday night.
Mr Trump was grazed by a gunshot during the incident, which resulted in one fatality and two injuries.
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The US Secret Service confirmed that the perpetrator was “neutralised”.
Here’s what we know about Crooks so far.
Who is the suspected gunman?
The FBI revealed him as Thomas Matthew Crooks approximately seven hours after the shooting.
Pic: AP
Authorities had earlier mentioned the use of biometrics to identify the shooter.
Law enforcement disclosed that Crooks, aged 20, hailed from Bethel Park in Pennsylvania.
Bethel Park is a predominantly white, affluent city in the southern portion of greater Pittsburgh. The location of the rally, Butler, is about an hour’s drive north of Pittsburgh.
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Pennsylvania voter records, uncovered by NBC News – Sky’s US partner network, listed a Thomas Matthew Crooks with the same address and birth date as a registered Republican, although the record’s date is uncertain.
Little else is known about Crooks’ background or upbringing at this juncture.
However, reports suggest he received a National Maths and Science Initiative Star Award worth $500 (£393) upon graduating from Bethel Park High School in 2022, as per the local news outlet, the Tribune Review.
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Hear what secret service said to Trump
He was also seen sporting merchandise from one of YouTube’s leading firearms channels during the incident, as reported by NBC News.
He wore a grey T-shirt featuring an American flag on the sleeve and block lettering partially concealed in scene photos.
The shirt’s appearance and lettering match those of a shirt available for purchase on the website of firearm YouTube channel Demolition Ranch.
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Following online speculation about the perpetrator, NBC News disclosed that Demolition Ranch and its founder shared images of the aftermath on social media, with the caption: “What the hell.”
Demolition Ranch has over 11 million subscribers on YouTube, where it frequently uploads videos on various firearms.
What occurred during the rally on Saturday?
Crooks allegedly positioned himself on the roof of a building around 150m away from where Donald Trump was addressing the crowd. He was situated outside the perimeter secured by the Secret Service for the rally.
Trump updated map from graphics
The Secret Service swiftly “neutralised” him after the shooting.
Witnesses reported uncertainty about the source of the gunfire. Pennsylvania police officer Lt Col George Bivens mentioned after the incident that “the shots were scattered somewhat and so they weren’t just into one particular location.”
The police emphasized they were not overlooking the possibility of a lone wolf attack.
Authorities also mentioned during a morning press conference that there were suspicious packages in the vicinity of the assailant.
A body with a rifle next to it was visible to the public on the roof of a building close to the rally site post-attack.
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‘The guy… he looks dead’
Investigators stated that they would not disclose details about the weapon used at this time.
FBI special agent Kevin Rojek mentioned in a press conference that they had not identified a motive for the attack yet.
National security analyst Frank Figliuzzi, outlining the investigative process, informed NBC that the “full range of the FBI will be engaged”.
He elaborated on the various aspects of the investigation, stating that “all of the social media and computer devices of this shooter, all the interviews of his co-workers, family, neighbors – all of that” will be scrutinized.
“His entire background will be reconstructed quickly. The focus will be on determining if anyone else was involved, if this is part of a larger plot, if there were any signs that could have been acted upon to prevent or intervene,” he added.
“They will examine his weapon, its source, its legality. Was he trained as a sharpshooter in any professional capacity? And of course, what motivated him?”
Early on Sunday, the airspace over Bethel Park in Pennsylvania – the hometown of Crooks – was immediately closed for security purposes.
