TL/DR –
A gunman identified as Thomas Matthew Crooks attempted to assassinate former President Donald Trump at a rally in Pennsylvania. The Federal Bureau of Investigation stated that the 20-year-old suspect did not have a prior criminal history and his motive remains unknown. Crooks was killed after he fired from an elevated position at the rally venue; law enforcement recovered an AR-15-type semiautomatic rifle near his body.
Assassination Attempt on Former President Donald Trump: Details Emerge
The FBI has identified 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks from Bethel Park, PA as the gunman attempting to assassinate former President Donald J. Trump at a Pennsylvania rally on Saturday. The investigation remains ongoing, additional information has yet to be disclosed.
No criminal history for Mr Crooks can be found in Pennsylvania’s public court records. His motive remains unidentified. A voter-registration record reveals that he was registered as a Republican. However, federal campaign-finance records show a $15 donation to the Progressive Turnout Project, a liberal voter turnout group, through the Democratic platform ActBlue in January 2021.
Early Sunday morning, law enforcement officials cordoned off all roads leading to suspect’s family home in Bethel Park, an hour drive from the rally site. The suspect’s relatives have not responded to requests for comment.
Mr. Crooks was killed post firing from an “elevated position” outside the rally venue. An AR-15-type semiautomatic rifle was recovered near a white man’s body believed to be the gunman, as per law enforcement.
Background of the Suspect
Mr. Crooks, a 2022 graduate from Bethel Park High School, won a $500 “star award” from the National Math and Science Initiative. This information was reported by The Tribune-Review in Western Pennsylvania.
In an online recording of the graduation ceremony, he is seen accepting his diploma amidst modest applause.
This article incorporates reporting contributions from Brian Conway and Matthew Ericson.
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