Former President Donald Trump was nearly killed in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13. The bullet missed, grazing his ear instead. Trump came within millimeters of getting killed yesterday. There are glaring security oversights, which will be addressed in time, but around 1:40 AM EST, the FBI finally confirmed that the shooter was Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, of Bethel, Pennsylvania.
NYP has ID'ed the Trump shooter as Thomas Matthew Crooks, who graduated from Bethel Park High School in 2022. Here's footage of him accepting his diploma at commencement. Crooks received the National Math & Science Initiative Star Award for academic achievement. pic.twitter.com/VcZnSV2upb
— Mia Cathell (@MiaCathell) July 14, 2024
URGENT: A spokesperson for the FBI Pittsburgh Field Office says they are now confirming the name of the alleged shooter who attempted to assassinate former President Donald Trump:
— Tom Winter (@Tom_Winter) July 14, 2024
Thomas Matthew Crooks
Bethel Park, PA
🚨 #BREAKING: Just moments ago the FBI has officially announced and identified the Trump shooter as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, who lived in Bethel Park, Pennsylvania. Officials from the FBI say this remains an active and ongoing investigation. pic.twitter.com/YzyYqj98Mj
— R A W S A L E R T S (@rawsalerts) July 14, 2024
USSS Director Kim Cheatle was in Aspen for an event when the shooting happened, I was told. https://t.co/N6sCZUuIHL
— Jennifer Jacobs (@JenniferJJacobs) July 14, 2024
The New York Post first reported on Trump’s would-be assassin, which was published before a press conference with law enforcement officials around 11:45 PM last night. As Spencer noted, the officials were cagey, refusing initially to release the identity of the would-be assassin. The Secret Service was not represented at the presser.
Thomas Matthew Crooks ID’d as gunman who shot Trump during Pa. rally https://t.co/7ycBdrQ7WK pic.twitter.com/CrqNnyjZrE
— New York Post (@nypost) July 14, 2024
NY Post identified the shooter as Thomas Matthew Crooks about two hours before the official FBI press release pic.twitter.com/m9swczAOV7
— Michael Tracey (@mtracey) July 14, 2024
Of course, once this leaked, there was no containing it. And it’s fitting that authorities decided to confirm this when most of the country is asleep. Though injured, Trump is blessedly okay and currently in New Jersey.
The Republican National Convention begins next week. Mia will have a deep dive into this character later this week.