Thomas Matthew Crooks: What we know about him thus far

Who was Thomas Matthew Crooks?

The FBI named Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, in a statement on Sunday morning, identifying him as the shooter who attempted to assassinate former president Donald Trump. Crooks was a Bethel Park, Pennsylvania resident. This is an affluent, predominantly White neighborhood about 35 miles south of Butler, where Number 45 held his latest campaign rally.

Crooks was a registered Republican, but records indicate that someone with his name donated to President Joe Biden's campaign. An anonymous resident in the neighborhood described the Crooks family as quiet and private. FBI officials believe the AR-15 used in the assassination attempt had been purchased by his father.

The shooting and the victims

Crooks fired on Trump from the rooftop of a nearby building just outside of the rally’s security perimeter. He is said to have fired three or four shots before the Secret Service shot and killed him. No motive has been established at this time.

The two people who were wounded were David Dutch, 57, of New Kensington, Pennsylvania, and James Copenhaver, 74, of Moon Township, Pennsylvania. Both are being treated at Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh and are listed as stable.

Firefighter Corey Comperatore was killed during the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro said Sunday. Comperatore was one of the thousands of people who attended the rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, part of Trump’s 2024 reelection effort. He died trying to protect his family, according to the governor. Pennsylvania State Police confirmed his identity on Sunday.

Witnesses described hearing loud popping noises, with one person saying they saw someone who was shot in the back of the head and another person who said she saw someone “bleeding profusely.

What we now know

Three shots were fired from outside the security perimeter established by the Secret Service, and the shooter was on the roof of a building that was " some distance" away from the security perimeter.

There is no evidence that Crooks was not working alone, and no records suggest he had been in the military. Former President Trump was grazed in the ear but otherwise fine and returned to Newark, New Jersey. Donald Trump has now said that he would have been shot in the head if he had nto turned to look at a chart.

CNN reached out late Saturday night to Crooks’ father, Matthew Crooks, who said he was trying to figure out “what the hell is going on” but would “wait until I talk to law enforcement” before speaking about his son.

Conspiracies abound on social media and elsewhere

Conspiracy theories are alive and well on social media. People are saying the shooting was staged to give Trump an advantage, while others believe Biden was behind the assassination attempt. One Facebook commenter believed Biden was "hiding" at a Catholic Mass.

It has now been reported that people attending the rally noticed Crooks acting strangely and alerted authorities. An unidentified law enforcement official found the shooter on the roof but retreated when Crooks turned the gun on him. This is when he turned around and began firing at the former president. The FBI is countering this story but questions continue to be asked.

Why did the FBI not have people stationed on that roof? Is is because ther eis less security for a former president than a sitting one? All we know is that Donald Trump turned his head which may have saved his life and Thomas Matthew Crooks is dead. Condolences to his family and the family Corey Comperatore. Hopefully truthful information will be given that will nto lead to moer conspiracies so stay tuned.