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New investigative details have emerged about the personal life and weapons training of Thomas Matthew Crooks, who attempted to assassinate US President Donald Trump.
Operative Information Center-OMM reports, citing US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) documents and reports submitted to the Senate Judiciary Committee, that the information was published by foreign media.
Federal documents specifically noted that Crooks’ interest in firearms and long-range marksmanship increased sharply during the COVID-19 pandemic. He regularly visited a shooting range at least once a week to improve his skills and practiced at the range as recently as the day before the incident. His father, Matthew Crooks, told investigators that his son was initially a poor marksman but gradually learned to adjust shooting distances professionally using prismatic sights and specialized equipment. Investigators also determined that Crooks ordered firearm components and ammunition online under the alias “Bob Dole” and used VPNs and encrypted services to conceal his internet activity.
On July 13, 2024, Crooks fired eight shots from an AR-15-style rifle during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, before being killed by a Secret Service counter-sniper. Investigators continue to examine new details concerning the rapid cremation of his body and the family’s accounts of his character, while the precise political or personal motive for the attack remains unclear.
The shooting occurred during a campaign rally attended by Trump, who was then a presidential candidate. Trump was wounded in the ear, while one attendee was killed and two others were injured. The incident prompted investigations into security failures surrounding the event and renewed debate in the United States over political violence and firearms access.
