Things to know about 20-yr-old college graduate who shot Trump

Donald Trump, former United States President and Republican contender against Joe Biden in the forthcoming elections, was shot in the ear during a campaign rally on Saturday at Pennsylvania, days before the Republican convention. Moments after the shooting, Secret Service agents rushed to the stage, encircled Trump and escorted him to a black SUV Speaking […]

Donald Trump, former United States President and Republican contender against Joe Biden in the forthcoming elections, was shot in the ear during a campaign rally on Saturday at Pennsylvania, days before the Republican convention.

Moments after the shooting, Secret Service agents rushed to the stage, encircled Trump and escorted him to a black SUV

Speaking about the tragic incident, Trump said he knew something was wrong when he heard a whizzing sound.

In a statement published by the Republican National Committee (RNC) on Sunday, Trump said, “I was shot with a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear.

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“I knew immediately that something was wrong in that I heard a whizzing sound, shots, and immediately felt the bullet ripping through the skin.

“Most importantly, I want to extend my condolences to the family of the person at the rally who was killed, and also to the family of another person that was badly injured. It is incredible that such an act can take place in our country.”

According to senior law enforcement officials, Trump is currently safe and is expected to survive.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) said the shooting was an assassination attempt, identifying a 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks as suspect.

Crooks was shot dead at the scene by a Secret Service sniper.

 

Here are things to know about the 20-year-old behind the attempted assassination.

Thomas Matthew Crooks was a resident of Bethel Park in Pennsylvania. According to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review newspaper, Bethel Park is about 70km (43 miles) from Butler, the site of the attempted assassination.

 

School

Crooks attended Bethel Park High School and graduated in 2022. According to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, he received a $500 “star award” from the National Math and Science Initiative. A video of the ceremony posted online and cited by The New York Times shows Crooks, donned in glasses and a black graduation gown, awarded his high school diploma and posing with a school official.

 

Political affiliation

According to US media, the State voter records show that Crooks was a registered member of the Republican. The forthcoming November 5 election would have been Crook’s first time to cast his vote in a presidential race.

According to a 2021 Federal Election Commission filing, Crooks had donated $15 to ActBlue – a political action committee that raises money for left-leaning and Democratic politicians – in 2021 when he was 17.

The $15 donation was a national initiative by the Progressive Turnout Project, a group that rallies support and encourages Democrats to vote during elections.

 

How shooting happened

According to a video by California-based entertainment news site TMZ, Crooks was seen with a rifle in his hand lying on his stomach on a rooftop.

TMZ reported, “The guy has longer brown hair, and he seems to be wearing a grey shirt/khaki pants – and as you can see, he’s carefully trying [to] pinpoint a target from afar before pulling the trigger.”

A witness also told BBC that he had seen a man who was believed to be Crooks holding a rifle on the roof of a building before the tragic incident happened.

 

Aftermath of shooting

On motive behind the attempted assassination coming few moths to the general election, FBI has said photographs and DNA of Crooks were being looked at and run as investigations continue.

At a press briefing, FBI special agent, Kevin Rojek, said, “We’re looking at photographs right now and we’re trying to run his DNA and get biometric confirmation.

“We do not currently have an identified motive.”

Asked to speak on the incident by CNN, father of Crooks, Matthew Crooks, 53, said he would wait until he spoke with law enforcement.