Multiple shots were fired at Donald Trump’s campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania on Saturday, 13 July 2024.
In videos circulated online, Trump can be seen grimacing and raising his right hand to his right ear before being rushed off stage and into a vehicle.
The shooting left a member of the audience dead. Two others were critically wounded but are in stable condition.
The gunman was eventually shot and killed by a Secret Service sniper.
Described As A Smart Kid Who Wouldn’t Hurt A Fly
When a shooting happens, there are usually at least two things that people want to know. Who was the person behind the attack and what was their motivation for doing it?
While we know the answer to the former, the latter is still unclear.
The FBI has revealed the name of the shooter as Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, from Bethel Park, Pennsylvania.
Bethel Park is described as an affluent suburb located around 70km from where the shooting took place.
Crooks seemed like any other young adult his age. He did fairly well in school, completed his college education and had a decent job.
He graduated from Bethel Park High School in 2022 and Community College of Allegheny County in May 2024 with an Associate in Science degree in Engineering Science.
He also worked as a dietary aide at Bethel Park Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation Center.
Classmates described him as a “quiet”, “smart kid” who “never gave off that he was creepy or like a school shooter” and “seemed like he wouldn’t hurt a fly”.
The only issue is that the average young adult does not go around firing shots at people.
Motivations Unclear
Investigators are still trying to establish Crooks’ motivation behind the shooting but it remains unclear.
State records show he was a registered Republican (Trump’s party). However, he had donated US$15 (S$20.14) to a Democratic-aligned group in 2021.
Crooks did not have a criminal record, no foreign terrorism ties and did not have any connections to any military branch.
The FBI also said that they did not find any history of mental health issues.
Investigations on his social media and emails have also come up with nothing out of the ordinary.
However, investigators are currently working to gain access to his cellphone.
The FBI will also be examining some 2,000 tips that the public has submitted.
The Firearm In Question
So where did he get the weapon?
Officials believe that the weapon, a semi-automatic AR-15 rifle, used during the shooting was purchased by Crooks’ father at least six months ago.
You’re probably wondering about his parents now. Well, both parents are licensed counsellors, so there’s nothing eyebrow-raising here either.
Okay, but how did Crooks learn how to operate a rifle?
Crooks had a membership at a local shooting club called the Clairton Spotsmen’s Club for at least a year.
He was also wearing a T-shirt from Demolition Ranch, which is a YouTube channel featuring guns and explosive devices with millions of subscribers.
His father had told CNN reporters that he was still trying to figure out “what the hell is going on”.
Safe to say that he is not the only one wondering that.
If you watch at least 10 minutes of brain rot content daily, you must know this:
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