What to Know About Thomas Matthew Crooks, Shooter Who Opened Fire at Donald Trump Rally

Early on Sunday, July 14, the FBI identified,Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, of Bethel Park, Pa., as the man who opened fire at a Donald Trump rally in Butler, Pa., in what the bureau called an "assassination attempt."

According to voter records, Crooks was a registered Republican, but he is too young to have ever voted in a presidential election, according to theAP,ReutersandThe New York Times.

In 2021, Crooks made a $15 donation to ActBlue, a political action committee that supports Democratic politicians. The donation was earmarked for the Progressive Turnout Project, which aims to get out increase voting among Democrats.

At the time of the donation, Crooks would have been too young to vote himself.

Bethel Park is approximately 50 miles from Butler, where the shooting took place. Crooks graduated from Bethel Park High School in 2022, according to a report in thePittsburgh Tribune-Review. According to the newspaper, in 2022 Crooks received a National Math & Science Initiative Star Award, for which he received $500.

CNN reports that the outlet briefly spoke to Crooks’ father, Matthew Crooks, late on July 13. Matthew Crooks said he wa -

'Devoted Daughter, Sister, Aunt and ,...

s still trying to find out “what the hell is going on,” and declined to talk about his son until he spoke with law enforcement.

The Secret Service said after the shooting that the shooter was declared deceased after he was "neutralized." One person at the rally was killed and two were critically injured. All three of those people were adult males, authorities said.

The Secret Service said after the shooting that Trump was safe and had been taken to the hospital. Subsequently, he left Pennsylvania and spent the night at his golf club in Bedminster, N.J., CBS reports.

In a statement posted to Truth Social, Trump wrote, in part, "Nothing is known at this time about the shooter, who is now dead. I was shot with a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear. I knew immediately that something was wrong in that I heard a whizzing sound, shots, and immediately felt the bullet ripping through the skin. Much bleeding took place, so I realized then what was happening. GOD BLESS AMERICA."

Anyone with information that may assist with the investigation is asked to call the FBI tip line at 1-800-CALL-FBI.

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