FBI identifies shooter in Trump rally attack as 20-year-old Pennsylvania man; motive still unclear
The FBI identified Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, as the gunman who shot at former President Trump at a Pennsylvania rally, killing one spectator and wounding others. Crooks was killed by law enforcement. Trump's campaign reported he is "fine." The motive remains unclear as investigations continue.
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By Chloé Meley
The Federal Bureau of Investigation has identified the gunman who shot at former President Donald Trump at a Pennsylvania rally Saturday as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks.
The alleged shooter was killed by law enforcement officials after he fired an AR-15-type semiautomatic rifle, killing one spectator and wounding others. Trump was injured in a volley of gunfire at 6:15 p.m. from an "elevated position" outside the rally's venue, according to the US Secret Service, though his campaign has since said he is "fine."
The agency said there is an "active and ongoing" investigation into the assassination attempt, and encouraged anyone with information to submit photos or videos to officials.
Click here for live coverage and analysis of the shooting.
Bethel Park is a town about an hour away from where the rally took place. Law-enforcement officers have closed down all roads leading toward the home of the suspect's family, the New York Times reported.
His motive is still unclear. He didn't have a criminal history and was registered as a Republican, public court and voter registration records show. Federal campaign-finance records also show he donated $15 to the Progressive Turnout Project, an organization aimed at mobilizing Democratic voters, in January 2021.
Local newspaper The Tribune-Review said Crooks appears to have graduated in 2022 from Bethel Park High School and received a $500 "star award" that year from the National Math and Science Initiative.
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