In a shocking incident at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania on Sunday, former US President Donald Trump narrowly escaped serious injury when a bullet grazed his ear. The event sent shockwaves throughout the nation. Hours after the attack, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) identified the attacker as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks. The FBI has also released a photograph of the young man. The image depicts Crooks wearing glasses and smiling into the camera, adding a chilling layer to the unfolding story.
"The FBI has identified Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, as the subject involved in the assassination attempt of former President Donald Trump on July 13, in Butler, Pennsylvania," the FBI said in a statement.
Thomas Matthew Crooks neutralised by FBI
In a dramatic turn of events, Secret Service snipers neutralised Crooks after he fired multiple shots at former US President Donald Trump during a rally in Pennsylvania. The 20-year-old assailant, who had taken up a position on a nearby rooftop, was spotted by witnesses who noticed him moving suspiciously from roof to roof. These witnesses attempted to warn security officials about a man lying on his stomach with a gun pointed at the rally.
Who was Thomas Matthew Crooks?
Crooks graduated from Bethel Park High School in 2022. He was among several students given an award for math and science, according to a Tribune-Review story at the time. Crooks tried out for the school’s rifle team but was turned away because he was a bad shooter, said Frederick Mach, a current captain of the team who was a few years behind Crooks at the school.
Crooks first drew the attention of law enforcement at the rally when spectators observed his strange behaviour outside the event. This tip-off initiated a frantic search, but authorities were unable to locate him in time. Crooks ultimately managed to position himself on a rooftop, from where he opened fire, leading to the swift and decisive action by the Secret Service. The FBI said it believes Crooks, who had bomb-making materials in the car he drove to the rally, acted alone. Investigators have found no threatening comments on social media accounts or ideological positions that could help explain what led him to target Trump.
(With inputs from AP)
