The FBI has identified Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, as the shooter in the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump.
Crooks, of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, was killed by security moments after he was able to fire off several shots at the Trump rally in Butler. Extraordinary footage obtained by TMZ appears to show Butler lying on his belly and firing shots before being taken out. Similar, footage is circulating of the moment a Secret Service sniper reacted to the shots and returned fire. Crooks was able to fire at the rally stage from less than 500 feet away. An eye witness, who said he tried to flag to local officials that there was a suspicious individual, said the Secret Service “blew his head off” when they returned fire.
Shortly after midnight on Sunday, Kevin Rojek, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Pittsburgh field office told a news conference that “it is surprising” the shooter was able to get off as many rounds as he fired.
“Again, the Secret Service really needs to answer that question. They conduct the initial site survey. They do the initial security assessments and determine where the different security locations should be. And they’re the ones who are in charge of securing the scene.”
FBI, which is leading the investigation, hasn’t yet identified a motive for the shooting but they did identify it as an attempted assassination. The political leanings of Crooks were not immediately clear. Records show he was registered as a Republican voter in Pennsylvania, but federal campaign finance reports also show he donated $15 to a progressive political action committee on Jan. 20, 2021, the day President Joe Biden was sworn into office, according to the Associated Press.
Trump revealed he was shot in the ear just minutes after taking the stage. He was seen on stage immediately clutching his ear and then ducking to the ground after pops could be heard.
In remarkable scenes which will almost certainly become the defining moment of the 2024 election campaign, Trump was able to rise to his feet and raise a clenched fist to his supporters with blood streaming down the side of his face, appearing to repeatedly say “fight”.
He was seen disembarking his plane early Sunday morning at Newark International Airport before heading to his Bedminster, New Jersey, residence.
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In a statement released on Sunday morning via his Truth Social account, Trump said: “Thank you to everyone for your thoughts and prayers yesterday, as it was God alone who prevented the unthinkable from happening. We will FEAR NOT, but instead remain resilient in our Faith and Defiant in the face of Wickedness.
“Our love goes out to the other victims and their families. We pray for the recovery of those who were wounded, and hold in our hearts the memory of the citizen who was so horribly killed.
“In this moment, it is more important than ever that we stand United, and show our True Character as Americans, remaining Strong and Determined, and not allowing Evil to Win. I truly love our Country, and love you all, and look forward to speaking to our Great Nation this week from Wisconsin.
