Thomas Matthew Crooks, a 20-year-old from Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, tried to kill former President Donald Trump on July 13, 2024, using an AR-15-style rifle.
He shot from a rooftop at a rally in Butler, hitting Trump in the ear and fatally wounding another person, Corey Comperatore.
The attack happened while Trump was speaking, causing a lot of confusion and leading to the Secret Service killing Crooks.
The FBI is still trying to figure out why Crooks did it, finding bomb-making materials in his car and home, which suggests he might have had more plans.
Crooks was not known for being good at shooting, was not part of any political group, and was a bit of a loner, which made the attack even more surprising given the increase in political violence in the U.S.
Education Journey
Thomas Matthew Crooks finished high school in 2022, standing out for his good grades and getting a $500 “star award” for being great at math and science.
He also joined the National Technical Honor Society, showing he cared about learning technical subjects.
After high school, he got an associate degree in engineering science from the Community College of Allegheny County in just two months before a big event happened.
Professional Life
Thomas Matthew Crooks worked as a dietary aide at a nursing home, helping with meals and serving residents.
His coworkers saw him as hardworking but also noted he was shy and didn’t socialize much.
This made him seem dedicated but also isolated, which might have played a role in his tragic death in July 2024.
The Day of the Attack
Before the July 13, 2024, assassination of former President Donald Trump, Thomas Matthew Crooks carefully planned his attack.
He registered for a rally on July 6, researched past assassinations, and bought over 50 rounds of ammunition and a ladder for the rooftop attack.
Crooks took a day off from his job as a dietary aide at a nursing home, claiming he had a “something to do” but promised to return.
He practiced shooting at a local range on July 12, showing his serious intent.
The Assassination Attempt
On July 13, 2024, during a speech in Butler, Pennsylvania, Thomas Matthew Crooks attempted to kill former President Donald Trump.
He was on a rooftop, about 130 yards away, armed with a rifle, and started shooting while Trump was speaking.
Crooks was caught by a volunteer fire chief, Corey Comperatore, who was trying to protect his family, and was killed.
The Secret Service arrived fast and killed Crooks. After the shooting, there was a lot of confusion as Trump was moved to safety, and the FBI began looking into the incident as a possible terrorist act.
Response from Law Enforcement
At a Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, Secret Service quickly stopped Thomas Matthew Crooks from hurting anyone after he shot.
They fatally shot him, stopping the attack. After that, the FBI started a big investigation into why he did it, calling it an assassination and domestic terrorism.
They looked at his online searches, finding plans for the attack but no clear reason or who helped him.
The investigation is still looking into Crooks’ past, including his online messages and any people or events that might have led to the attack.
Investigation Findings
The investigation into Thomas Matthew Crooks uncovered concerning information, such as bomb-making materials found in his car and home.
Police discovered two explosive devices in his car and materials needed to make them, like detonating cord and blasting caps.
His online searches from 2019 showed a long-term interest in explosives, including how to make bombs from fertilizer and ammonium nitrate.
This online activity helped understand his thoughts but didn’t explain why he tried to kill Donald Trump.
Despite looking into his social media, which didn’t show any threats or extremist views, the FBI is still looking into his motives and possible influences behind this violent act.
Mental Health Considerations
Before trying to kill Donald Trump, Thomas Matthew Crooks showed signs he might have mental health problems.
Investigators found he looked up information about depression online just before the attack, which means he might have tried to figure out his own diagnosis without getting help from a professional.
Mental health experts say this kind of behavior can lead to violence, as people with these issues might feel angry and plan violent acts.
It’s important to notice signs like feeling isolated or being mean to others, as these can lead to violent behavior in some people.
Media Coverage and Public Discourse
The shooting on Donald Trump by Thomas Matthew Crooks was also covered, as many informed it as the most dangerous threat to a U.S. president in thirty years since Reagan.
The occurrence demonstrated that the rates of political intolerance and violence in the US were rising and that people should choose less polarizing language.
President Joe Biden also condemned the attack urging Trump to stay safe, which he later labeled as ‘unacceptable’.
Different reactions were observed, some of the reactions showed support for Trump, the rest of the talk was more general about the problem of political violence.
Stingray polls indicated that although most Americans oppose the use of violence in politics, some gave a percentage of 34 who supposed that the concept might be applicable in some circumstances during the political discourses after the incident.
This attempt at assassinating Thomas Matthew Crooks proactively demonstrates how political polarization and lack of social interaction present day America.
It speaks about the need to communicate, to comprehend and to proceed with matters to address causes of such violence.
In the future, it can be useful to ensure that empathy is encouraged and the thoughts are nice so that it is possible to prevent vicious action and protect actors in public spaces and everybody.