20 years old, republican, graduated with ‘honor’ and with a rifle

In just five hours after the attack on Donald Trump this Saturday while he was giving a rally in Butler (Pennsylvania), the FBI identified the author of the shots against the former president of the United States. Thomas Matthew Crooksa 20-year-old from Bethel Park, was shot dead by Secret Service and police snipers in an exchange of gunfire just after the youth opened fire, leaving one dead and two seriously injured, in addition to Trump.

Crooks was on the roof of a factory more than 120 metres from Melania Trump’s husband’s rally when he shot him, grazing his ear and causing minor injuries. The former president, a candidate for the elections next November, had only been speaking for a few minutes when shots were heard. He put his right hand to his face, as if he had been hit, fell to the ground and was covered by secret service agents.

According to police information, the young man was carrying an AR-15 semi-automatic assault rifle and was wearing an item from a popular YouTube gun channel, Demolition Ranch, which has more than 11 million subscribers.

The shooter’s motives are unknown, but officers did search his home and question his family. He had no criminal record, though. CNN spoke to the father of the so-far only suspect in the attack, who said in amazement that he was trying to find out “what the hell is going on” but that he would “wait until he talks to the authorities.”

According to the American state’s voting records, revealed by the New York Postthe young man was a Republican. The aforementioned media also added statements from a former classmate of Crooks: “He was rather lonely. He probably didn’t have many friends.”.

True, he also made a $15 donation to the liberal political action committee, ActBlue, a progressive committee that raises money for Democratic and left-wing politicians. He did so on January 20, 2021, the same day Biden took office, according to The InterceptAt that time, I was 17 years old.

Thomas graduated in 2022 from Bethel Park High School, according to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. She received a $500 “star award” from the National Math and Science Initiative.