The FBI has identified the man who shot at former President Donald Trump during a campaign rally as Thomas Matthew Crooks. The 20-year-old opened fire while Trump was addressing a crowd in Butler, Pennsylvania, resulting in one audience member dead and two others injured. Crooks was shot dead at the scene by a Secret Service sniper.
Crooks, who did not have any identification on him, was identified through DNA testing. He hailed from Bethel Park in Pennsylvania and is believed to have graduated from Bethel Park High School in 2022. State voter records show that he was a registered Republican and had donated to a liberal campaign group in 2021.
Law enforcement officials suspect that the weapon used in the shooting was purchased by Crooks’ father. The motive behind the assassination attempt is still under investigation, with authorities working tirelessly to uncover the reasons behind Crooks’ actions.
The shooting took place less than 200m from Trump, with video footage confirming the assailant’s location on top of a building. The FBI is still determining the type of firearm used and the number of shots fired. A Secret Service sniper ultimately took down the gunman, and investigations into the incident are ongoing.
