December 22, 2024

Thomas Matthew Crooks identified as Donald Trump’s attempted assassin

The FBI has identified Thomas Matthew Crooks, a 20-year-old man from western Pennsylvania, as the person who attempted to assassinate former President Donald Trump at a campaign event in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday.

Crooks reportedly shot Trump during a rally in the small town, striking the upper part of Trump’s right ear while the former president was speaking to rallygoers ahead of next week’s Republican National Convention in Milwaukee.

Armed men stand over a downed suspect, whose face is blurred

Authorities approach the suspected gunman from where he fell after the U.S. Secret Service returned fire after an apparent assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump. (Obtained by Fox News Digital)

One attendee was killed and two others were injured during the incident, the agency said, and Crooks was shot dead. The victims have not been identified yet.

ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT ON TRUMP AT PENNSYLVANIA RALLY LEAVES 2 HURT, 2 DEAD, INCLUDING SHOOTER

Trump holds fist

Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, is the shooter accused of attempting to assassinate former President Donald Trump during a campaign event in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

“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 to Fox News Digital. “This remains an active and ongoing investigation.”

Crooks, 20, was from Bethel Park, which is a Pittsburgh suburb about an hour south from where the assassination attempt took place. 

Eyewitnesses Trump shooting

People who attended Trump’s campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, described to Fox News the chaos that ensued following an attempted assassination on the former president. (REUTERS/Brendan McDermid/Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images/jake Rosen/Fox News)

Crooks reportedly graduated from Bethel Park High School in 2022. He was one of nearly two dozen students from the school to earn a $500 “star award” from the National Math and Science Initiative.

An online recording of his graduation ceremony shows him walking the stage with minimal applause and briefly posing with a school official, the New York Times reported.

SUSPECTED TRUMP ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT SHINES LIGHT ON RALLY SECURITY

A search by Fox News Digital revealed Crooks would have turned 21 years old this September. He had no reported criminal or traffic citations and no reported bankruptcies, liens or foreclosures.

Crooks was a registered Republican, according to voting records, but had only participated in the Nov. 8, 2022, state election due to his age. Voting records also don’t detail who a person votes for.

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The FBI says it will continue its investigation into Crooks and any other information it can obtain.

“This remains an active and ongoing investigation, and anyone with information that may assist with the investigation is encouraged to submit photos or videos online at FBI.gov/butler or call 1-800-CALL-FBI,” the statement continued.

Fox News Digital’s Landon Mion contributed to this report.