Thomas Matthew Crooks was quiet, bullied, and lonely in school, but an investigation into the young man identified as the shooter in the assassination attempt on former US president Donald Trump has revealed frustratingly little about his motive.
Former high school classmates described the 20-year-old as, ironically, a terrible shot. Crooks, who fired multiple shots at Trump during the Butler rally in Pennsylvania, was reportedly rejected from his school’s rifle team. He was prepared to vote for the first time in the November 5 presidential elections, but it was not to be.
On July 13, the US Secret Service shot and killed Thomas Matthew Crooks as he attempted to assassinate former President Donald Trump. While the Republican presidential candidate survived, the shooting resulted in the death of a spectator and critically injured two others.
Although his family, classmates, teachers, and colleagues did not definitively discuss his political leanings, there were some potential signs of his interest in politics. Crooks, a registered Republican, had donated a small amount to the Democratic Party at 17 and registered to vote just a week after turning 18.
Since the FBI identified Crooks as the shooter, there has been significant debate over his political affiliations and motive, further exacerbating an already bitter political divide in the US. Information gathered from his home, neighborhood, school, and workplace paints a picture of a man whose ideology was not immediately clear.
Discord, a social media platform, stated that Crooks’ account was “rarely utilized” and there is no evidence it was used to plan the incident, promote violence, or discuss his political views. His father told CNN he was trying to understand “what the hell is going on” before speaking about his son.
On Sunday, July 14, the FBI reported that Crooks’ social media profile contained no threatening language, nor have they found any history of mental health issues. However, the law enforcement agency noted what sets him apart from other recent shooters at schools, churches, malls, and parades: he came within inches of killing a presidential candidate.
Early details reveal that Thomas Matthew Crooks worked as a nursing home aide near his hometown in Pennsylvania, where he graduated from high school in 2022 with a reputation as a bright but quiet student. His high school counselor described him as “respectful” and noted that he never knew Crooks to be political.
Public records of the Bethel Park resident—located about an hour from the shooting site—show his father is a registered Republican and his mother a registered Democrat. Bethel Park, a predominantly white and wealthier suburb compared to the surrounding Pittsburgh metro area, is located in the politically mixed and crucial swing state of Pennsylvania. According to county election records, President Joe Biden won the precinct that includes the Crooks’ house with 52 percent of the vote.
“We are shocked and saddened to learn of his involvement as Thomas Matthew Crooks performed his job without concern and his background check was clean,” said Marcie Grimm, administrator of the Bethel Park Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, where Crooks worked. A work colleague mentioned that Crooks was actually “caring” and did not seem “radical” or “politically motivated.”
Crooks graduated from high school two years ago, and according to a classmate who requested anonymity, he showed no particular interest in politics. The classmate told Reuters that Crooks was more interested in building computers and playing games.
“He was super smart. That’s what really kind of threw me off was, this was, like, a really, really smart kid, like he excelled,” the classmate was quoted as saying. “Nothing crazy ever came up in any conversation.”
Jim Knapp, who retired as the school counselor at Bethel Park High School in 2022, described Thomas Matthew Crooks as “quiet as a church mouse,” “respectful,” and someone who kept to himself, though he did have some friends.
Knapp stated that he never observed Crooks showing any interest in politics, unlike other students who sometimes wore Trump or Biden attire. He also noted that he could not recall Crooks ever being disciplined in school.
“Anybody could snap, anybody could have issues,” he said. “Something triggered that young man and drove him to drive up to Butler yesterday and do what he did.”
Residents near Crooks’ home expressed shock and unease that an assassination attempt has been connected to someone from their quiet city of 33,000 people. “Bethel Park is a pretty blue-collar type of area, and to think that somebody was that close is a little insane,” said Wes Morgan, a 42-year-old who works at an investment management firm and cycles with his children on the same street as the Crooks’ residence.
According to a report from The New York Post, Crooks was described as a “comically bad shot.” His former classmates said he attempted to join the rifle team at Bethel Park High School but was turned down.
According to sources, the school’s shooting range was 50 feet long and 21 feet wide. The Post reported that during one instance, Crooks shot from the seventh lane, which was closest to the right wall, and missed, hitting the left wall instead. “He tried out… and was such a comically bad shot he was unable to make the team and left after the first day,” a classmate was quoted as saying. “Our old coach was a stickler, he trained Navy marksmen, so he knew people. He knew when someone’s not the greatest person.”
NEW: Thomas Matthew Crooks was reportedly rejected from his school’s rifle team because of his bad shot and his “off-color” jokes according to the New York Post.
A former classmates claim he tried out for the rifle team at Bethel Park High School.
The school’s range was 50 feet… pic.twitter.com/ulwpEbT8eu
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) July 14, 2024
Similar to his school years, where he often appeared to be lonely, in his final moments before his death, Crooks was working alone according to the FBI.
Classmates described him as a quiet student who was frequently bullied. “He was quiet but he was just bullied. He was bullied so much,” said Jason Kohler, who attended the same high school as Crooks, noting that he seemed “socially reserved.” However, another classmate did not recall hearing him discuss politics or Trump.
Kohler also mentioned that Crooks was ridiculed for his attire, particularly when he wore hunting outfits. Speaking to CNN, Kohler described Crooks as having “no facial expression” as he walked through the school hallways. “He wasn’t, like, with the clique, so he always had, I guess, a target on his back” he added.
