Thomas Matthew Crooks: The Attacker at the Trump Rally- What We Know

2024-07-15 11:32:00

Who was Thomas Matthew Crooks, the attacker who shot at the Trump Rally?

Photo of Thomas Matthew Crooks undated. Retrieved by CNN

The gunman who allegedly tried to assassinate former President Donald Trump has died bullying in high school and didn’t fit in with other students, former students told CNN on Sunday.

Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, was registered to vote as a Republican and previously made a small contribution to a Democrat-friendly group, according to public records.

So far, investigators have not found any evidence on social media or in Crooks’ other writings that could help identify the motive for the attempted murder, police officials said.

Crooks lived in Bethel Park, a suburb of Pittsburgh, about 35 miles south of the Trump rally where authorities say he shot the former president. Crooks graduated from Bethel Park High School in 2022, according to a report from the local media and a video of the school’s award ceremony.

Jason Kohler, 21, who went to the same high school, told CNN that Crooks suffered bullying from other students and appeared to be a loner.

Crooks had “no facial expression” as he walked through the school halls, Kohler said. “I wasn’t part of the group, so I was always a target.”

Another former student at the school, Sarah D’Angelo, remembered Crooks as “a quiet boy, with no obvious political or violent views.” She said the only time she spoke to him was when her class was waiting for the graduation ceremony to begin.

A third-grade classmate, who asked not to be identified, agreed that Crooks didn’t stand out, but said from what she saw, he wasn’t necessarily shy or quiet when he was among “his group of friends in high school with those who were close.”

According to a person familiar with the investigation, the weapon Crooks used in the shooting was an AR-style rifle. According to law enforcement officials, the gun was traced to Crooks’ father, which helped determine the identity of the assailant since he was not carrying identification.

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