The FBI has identified a 20-year-old man from western Pennsylvania, Thomas Matthew Crooks, as the man who plotted to assassinate former President Donald Trump at a campaign event in Butler, Pennsylvania on Saturday.
Crooks reportedly shot Trump above the right ear as the former president was addressing attendees at a rally in the small town ahead of next week’s Republican National Convention in Milwaukee.
Authorities approached the spot where the suspected gunman fell after the U.S. Secret Service returned fire during the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump. (Source: Fox News Digital)
The incident left one attendee dead and two injured, with Crooks being shot dead, the station said. The identities of the victims have not yet been released.
Attempt to assassinate President Trump at Pennsylvania rally leaves two injured, including the shooter, two dead
Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, is accused of trying to assassinate former President Donald Trump during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania on Saturday. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
“The FBI has identified Thomas Matthew Crooks, age 20, of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, as a suspect in connection to the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump on July 13 in Butler, Pennsylvania,” the FBI said in a statement to Fox News Digital. “The investigation remains active.”
Crooks, 20, was from Bethel Park, a suburb of Pittsburgh, about an hour south of where the assassination attempt took place.
Attendees at Trump’s campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, spoke to Fox News about the chaos that erupted after the assassination attempt on the former president. (REUTERS/Brendan McDiarmid/Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images/Jake Rosen/Fox News)
Crooks reportedly graduated from Bethel Park High School in the class of 2022. He was one of about 20 students from the school who received a $500 “Star Award” from the National Math and Science Initiative.
An online recording of the graduation ceremony shows him walking across the stage to faint applause and posing briefly with school officials. The New York Times reported.
Security at rally revealed in case of suspected Trump assassination attempt
A Fox News Digital investigation found that Crooks turned 21 in September. He had no reported criminal or traffic violations, and no bankruptcies, liens or foreclosures.
According to voting records, Crooks was registered as a Republican but because of his age he only participated in the state election on Nov. 8, 2022. Voting records also do not provide details on who voters voted for.
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The FBI says it continues to investigate Crooks and any information it receives.
“This incident remains an active investigation and anyone with information that could assist the investigation is asked 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.
