Thomas Crooks, the 20-year-old who attempted to assassinate Donald Trump, had been showing signs of mental instability prior to the incident. He was seen talking to imaginary figures and even dancing alone, while reportedly researching the distances related to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.
This troubling behavior surfaced in the months leading up to his attempt on Trump’s life at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. A detailed report shed light on police interviews, his online search activity, and even evaluations of his school records.
After Crooks’ attempted assassination, his father informed federal officials that he had noticed a marked decline in his son’s mental health about a year before the event.
His father reflected on the family’s mental health history, recalling moments when he would catch Crooks talking to himself and engaging in odd behaviors at night.
Rep. Clay Higgins from Louisiana, who is part of the Congressional task force investigating this case, noted that Crooks was “having conversations with people who weren’t there,” which underscores a deeply concerning trend in his mental state.
“Thomas Crooks’ descent into madness was quite troubling,” Higgins stated, mentioning that his investigation revealed disturbing details about Crooks’ behavior.
Interestingly, just a week before the shooting, Crooks conducted specific online searches, including inquiries about the distance from where Lee Harvey Oswald shot Kennedy in 1963.
He searched, “How far was Oswald from Kennedy?” which appeared insidious given the context of his actions. This investigation took place before he positioned himself on an unsecured rooftop at the Trump rally on July 13, ultimately firing shots.
Crooks was shot by a Secret Service counter-sniper soon after he discharged a weapon, injuring Trump and unintentionally killing a bystander. His lifeless body was later found covered in his own blood as agents responded to the chaos.
