Attempted Assassination of Former President Trump at Rally: Suspect Identified

The FBI has identified 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks as the suspect in the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump at a campaign rally. Crooks was shot and killed by Secret Service after firing shots, injuring Trump and several attendees. Investigations into his motive are ongoing.

The FBI has identified 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, as the suspect in the attempted assassination of former U.S. President Donald Trump at a campaign rally. Crooks was shot and killed by the Secret Service moments after he allegedly fired shots toward the stage where Trump was speaking on Saturday in Butler, Pennsylvania.

The FBI is working to determine a motive for the attack. One rally attendee died, and two other spectators were critically injured. Trump sustained a gunshot to the ear. State voter records indicate that Crooks was a registered Republican. The upcoming November 5 election, where Trump is challenging President Joe Biden, would have been his first opportunity to vote in a presidential race.

In 2021, Crooks made a $15 donation to ActBlue, earmarked for the Progressive Turnout Project, which rallies Democrats to vote. His father, Matthew Crooks, stated he was trying to understand what happened and would wait to speak with law enforcement before commenting further. Authorities have blocked off the streets surrounding the Crooks' family home in Bethel Park.

Local residents, including Mary and Stanley Priselac, expressed shock and dismay at the events. Thomas Crooks, a 2022 graduate of Bethel Park High School, was a recipient of a $500 award from the National Math and Science Initiative. The school district has pledged full cooperation with law enforcement but has limited public disclosure.

Law enforcement reported that Crooks carried no identification at the time of the attack and were working on biometric confirmation. Social media accounts or online postings related to the suspect have not yet been identified.

(With inputs from agencies.)