I want to ban assault weapons and require universal background checks.
Trump promised the NRA that he’d do nothing about guns.
And he means it.
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) July 13, 2024
Thomas Matthew Crooks, a 20-year-old from Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, has been identified as the shooter who attempted to assassinate former President Donald Trump at a rally in Butler on Saturday. Crooks, who worked as a dietary aide at a nursing facility and was a member of a local gun club, was killed by a Secret Service sharpshooter during the incident. The sole victim of the shooting was Corey Comperatore, 50, a former chief of the Buffalo Township Volunteer Fire Company.
Two others were injured and are currently in stable condition. Authorities reported that Crooks used a semiautomatic rifle and fired eight shots before being neutralized. Law enforcement officials are investigating whether the weapon belonged to Crooks’ father and was legally purchased.
I am appalled to learn about the shooting of former U.S. President Donald Trump at his rally in Pennsylvania.
Such violence has no justification and no place anywhere in the world. Never should violence prevail.
I am relieved to learn that Donald Trump is now safe and wish him…
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) July 14, 2024
A senior House Democrat tells Axios: "We've all resigned ourselves to a second Trump presidency." https://t.co/lKHFpE82Xg
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) July 14, 2024
They also found multiple suspicious canisters in Crooks’ vehicle, but it remains unclear if they were functional as incendiary or explosive devices. Crooks’ family is cooperating with the authorities, although his motive remains unknown. The Defense Department confirmed that Crooks had no military affiliation.
Crooks’ background and motives examined
He was a member of the Clairton Sportsmen’s Club in Pittsburgh, a facility known for its shooting and archery ranges. Both the Clairton Sportsmen’s Club and the Bethel Park Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, where Crooks worked, expressed shock and sadness over the incident.
They extended condolences to the Comperatore family and prayers for all those affected, including the former President. Crooks graduated from Bethel Park High School in 2022. Classmates described him as a “loner” who faced bullying and regularly wore hunting outfits.
They noted that he was quiet, reserved, and not outspoken about politics. Neighbors expressed disbelief upon learning of Crooks’ involvement. Andrew Blanco, who lives on Crooks’ street, called the news “absolutely nuts,” while Dan Grzybek, an Allegheny County Council member who lives nearby, noted that the neighborhood was in shock.
Federal Election Commission records show that a Thomas Matthew Crooks made a $15 donation to a liberal political action committee on Inauguration Day 2021, despite being listed as a registered Republican in Pennsylvania voter records. The investigation into the assassination attempt is ongoing as authorities work to piece together the circumstances surrounding the event.
