According to information gathered on the Trump rally shooter, he was a member of a local gun club. Additionally, he worked as a dietary aide in a nursing home. The FBI has now identified the shooter at the Trump rally as Thomas Matthew Crooks.
How Old Was the Shooter at Trump’s Rally?
The 20-year-old shooter was set to reach a political achievement during the November 5, 2024, presidential election. The November 5, 2024, election was the first presidential election that Crooks would have been able to vote in.
Thomas Matthew Crooks and Trump’s Rally
Crooks was a resident of the state of Pennsylvania, which has been widely regarded as a crucial swing state in the upcoming presidential election. According to Crooks’ political history, it has been shown that he has always been interested in politics. In 2021, Crooks made a $15 donation to a political organization, and in 2022, he registered as a voter a week after clocking 18.
Despite his political awareness and activities, Crooks decided to take his political views to a more radical level. Rather than wait for the 2024 presidential election, Crooks decided to attack the Republican presidential candidate, Donald Trump. According to authorities, Crooks residents are an hour away from the venue of Trump’s rally.
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When Crooks got to the location, he decided to climb up to the roof of an adjacent building and shoot at Trump and the rallygoers. One of the fired bullets hit Trump in the upper part of his right ear, which left a side of his face covered in blood.
Although the assassination attempt on Trump failed, it still resulted in the death of one person and the severe injury of another. The event has since sent shockwaves throughout the American political landscape, rocking it to its core. Consequently, politicians from both Democrats and Republicans have taken to the media to express their outrage and displeasure at the incident. Additionally, they issued statements about the dangers of America’s deep polarization.
An insight into Thomas Matthew Crooks
Although the investigation is still ongoing, authorities have yet to discover any piece of evidence that might give insight into Crooks’ motive. However, CNN decided to interview close friends and relatives to get an insight into Crook’s personality.
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According to the interview’s results, Crooks was described as a quiet kid and a good student. However, some of his classmates described him as strange and said that he didn’t fit in with his high school society. According to a public records review, Crooks was described as a person with divergent political leanings.
This is because of his political history, such as making a donation to a Democratic-leaning group and registering as a Republican for the 2024 presidential election.
Crooks resided in Bethel Park, a Pittsburgh suburb about an hour’s drive south of the Trump rally in Bulter, Pennsylvania. In 2022, Crooks received his diploma after graduating from Bethel Park High School. This was confirmed by a local report and an online video that detailed the school’s graduation ceremony.
Speaking about Thomas Matthew Crooks
In an interview with 21-year-old Jason Kohler, Crooks was the victim of bullying by students, which resulted in his withdrawal from social interaction. Kohler attended Bethel Park High School with Crooks.
Kohler described Crooks as expressionless whenever he was moving through the corridors of the school. Koehler added that “he wasn’t, like, with the clique, so he always had, I guess, a target on his back.”
Another former student, identified as Sarah D’Angelo, described Crooks as a “quiet kid.” D’Angelo also stated that Crooks never showed any leaning towards either politics or violence. D’Angelo said that the only time she and Crooks had a conversation was when they were waiting for their graduation ceremony to commence.
According to another student who wished to remain anonymous, Crooks was quiet and extremely intelligent. The student stated that Crooks took honors classes during their time together in high school. She claimed that some of his friends were known for wearing Trump caps and for their conservative ideas.
In 2020, as a result of the pandemic, Crooks’ high school experience was disrupted as students were forced to study from home. A classmate mentioned not seeing him often in either his sophomore or junior years. She stated that she was rather shocked when Crooks was identified as the shooter at Trump’s rally. She said it was not something she thought he would do, given his typically reserved nature.
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What Happened to the Trump Rally Shooter?
Crooks’ shooting at Trump’s rally resulted in the death of one individual and injury to three others, including Trump. Trump went to the ground after being shot and grabbed in his ear as directed by the Secret Service.
A Secret Service agent ascended to the platform 45 seconds after Trump was shot to declare that the gunman had been neutralized. According to reports, Crooks was fatally shot by Secret Service agents and died at the scene of the crime.
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