Who was Thomas Matthew Crooks, the alleged Trump shooter? : NPR

The FBI has identified Thomas Matthew Crooks as the man who allegedly shot at President Donald Trump and killed one person at a Butler, Pa., political rally on Saturday.

Trump says that a bullet pierced the upper part of his right ear. Two other people were also injured before Secret Service agents killed Crooks.

Investigators believe the suspect’s father purchased the gun used at the rally six months ago, according to a person familiar with the investigation who was not allowed to speak publicly. The source also confirmed that at least one possibly workable, explosive device was found in the dead suspect’s vehicle.

A picture is still emerging about the 20-year-old. Here’s what we know so far.

Where is Crooks from?

The Crooks family home is in Bethel Park, Pa., according to the FBI, a working-to-middle class community south of Pittsburgh. Attempts to contact family members listed as residents of the home were not successful.

The community, which neighbors described to an NPR reporter as “quiet,” sits about 53 miles from the shooting site.

“People kind of keep to themselves. I mean, you say hi to your neighbors,” said Jim Zawojski, 70, a retiree living in Bethel Park. But, he added people aren’t especially close-knit.

Zawojski said he once mistakenly received mail from the Crooks house, but never engaged with the family members directly even as he returned the mail to their porch.

“I couldn’t even tell you what they look like,” he said.

Law enforcement had the street where it is believed Crooks lived blocked off from the public on Sunday.

“I’m sure they’re devastated,” Zawojski said, thinking of the Crooks family. “I am just wondering if there were any signs of how [Crooks] was acting. Was he mentally disturbed? Was he that strong of a Biden supporter that he wanted that to happen so badly that he wanted to go and take Trump on? I couldn’t even begin to guess but I’m sure that they’re totally devastated.”

Details begin to take shape

Crooks worked at Bethel Park Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation Center as a dietary aide, Marcie Grimm, the center’s administrator said in a statement shared with NPR. It’s unclear how long Crooks worked at the center.

Grimm expressed shock and sadness that the 20-year-old was named as the alleged shooter.

Crooks “performed his job without concern and his background check was clean,” Grimm said in her statement. “We are fully cooperating with law enforcement officials at this time. Due to the ongoing investigation, we cannot comment further on any specifics. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Former President Trump and the victims impacted by this terrible tragedy. We condemn all acts of violence.”

At least one social media account associated with Crooks has been confirmed on the group-chatting app Discord.

“We have identified an account that appears to be linked to the suspect; it was rarely utilized and we have found no evidence that it was used to plan this incident, promote violence, or discuss his political views,” a Discord spokesperson said in a statement to NPR. “Discord strongly condemns violence of any kind, including political violence, and we will continue to coordinate closely with law enforcement.”

Crooks’ name was included on a list of awardees as part of Bethel Park High School’s Awards and Recognition Program in 2022, according to a local news report. He was listed as receiving a $500 National Math & Science Initiative Star Award.

“From background I’ve gotten from people that I know that have gone to school with him, he was your typical average kid — more on the quiet side, relatively intelligent,” Allegheny County Councilor Dan Grzybek told WESA, Pittsburgh’s NPR news station. Gryzbek represents the district that includes Bethel Park.

Grzybek noted that Crooks, while a student at Bethel Park High School, was known as “a pretty decent student.”

A possible motive is unclear

Investigators are working to put together what may have motivated Crooks to launch this attack.

Pennsylvania voter registration and Federal Election Commission data shows Crooks was a registered Republican, but donated $15 through ActBlue, the Democratic-allied organization, in 2021.

A search on Pennsylvania’s public court records database indicated Crooks had no criminal history.