Now that the FBI is on the case, we can expect to not get any further details for many years.
The FBI has identified 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks from Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, as the suspect in the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump during a campaign event in Butler, Pennsylvania, last Saturday.
Crooks fired at Trump from a rooftop approximately 130 yards away during the rally, hitting the upper part of Trumpโs right ear while he was addressing supporters ahead of the upcoming Republican National Convention in Milwaukee.
#FBI: Suspect in Trump shooting is 20 years old
FBI has officially announced & identified the #DolandTrump shooter as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, who lived in Bethel Park, #Pennsylvania. #US @AlarabyTV #Breaking pic.twitter.com/W5F4i3WzDf
โ โก๏ธ๐ World News ๐โก๏ธ (@ferozwala) July 14, 2024
Authorities, including the U.S. Secret Service, responded swiftly, returning fire and ultimately neutralizing Crooks. The attack resulted in the death of one attendee and injuries to two others. The victims have not yet been identified.
The FBI confirmed Crooks’ identity and announced that the investigation remains active and ongoing. Crooks hailed from Bethel Park, a suburb of Pittsburgh located about an hour south of Butler. He graduated from Bethel Park High School in 2022 and had received a $500 “star award” from the National Math and Science Initiative.
GNN: Video from behind President Donald Trump in the crowd as the shooting happened, as well as being escorted off stage by Secret Service.
Thomas Matthew Crooks was identified as the shooter by the FBI, and was killed moments after the attempted assassination. pic.twitter.com/l9Tw6cDAmY
โ Breaking GNN (@GuntNews) July 14, 2024
Crooks, who would have turned 21 in September, had no reported criminal or traffic citations and no financial issues such as bankruptcies or liens. Voting records indicate he was a registered Republican and had participated in the November 2022 state election. Despite his political affiliation, Crooks had made a $15 donation to the Progressive Turnout Project, a PAC supporting Democratic candidates.
Eyewitnesses at the rally described the chaos that ensued following the shooting. The Secret Service confirmed that the building from which Crooks fired was outside their security perimeter. Investigators are examining reports from bystanders who claimed to have seen Crooks and attempted to alert law enforcement prior to the shooting.
The #FBI identified the shooter who attempted to assassinate Donald Trump yesterday as Thomas Matthew Crooks. He was quickly put out of action.
From an OSINT perspective, to find the exact time the shot was fired, many people will look for photos with EXIF Data, compare the dataโฆ pic.twitter.com/qB0hSi8q7o
โ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐พ๐๐ธ๐ฝ๐ ๐ฐ๐๐๐๐ข๐๐ ๐ (@OSINT_Tactical) July 14, 2024
Trump received medical treatment for his ear injury at a Pennsylvania hospital and later departed on his private plane from Newark Liberty International Airport.
The FBI has urged anyone with information that could assist the investigation to submit photos or videos online or call 1-800-CALL-FBI.
Major Points
- The FBI identified Thomas Matthew Crooks as the shooter in the attempted assassination of former President Trump.
- The shooting occurred at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, with Crooks firing from a rooftop 130 yards away.
- One attendee was killed, two others injured, and Crooks was shot dead by law enforcement.
- Crooks, from Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, graduated high school in 2022 and had no prior criminal record.
- The FBI continues to investigate and urges anyone with information to come forward.
RM Tomi โ Reprinted with permission of Whatfinger News