Twenty-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, opened fire with an AR-15 rifle on former US President Donald Trump at a rally in Butler on July 13. The 20-year-old was shot dead by US Secret Service snipers following the attack.
In school, Crooks excelled in math and science. Described as “quiet” by former classmates, he often kept to himself. Crooks “was bullied a lot, he was harassed a lot,” said Jason Kohler, who attended the same school as the shooter.
An undated video is being shared on X, which shows Thomas Matthew Crooks being bullied by his classmates. Crooks, who is reportedly lying down on his desk, is being bullied by his classmate, who is forcefully pulling down his pants.
NDTV could not independently verify the authenticity of the video.
Footage emerges of Thomas Matthew Crook being bullied at school pic.twitter.com/riJoWXUpJt
— Crime Net (@TRIGGERHAPPYV1) July 15, 2024
The man who shot at Trump pulled his leg back to prevent his classmate from harassing him.
AFP quoted Mr Kohler as saying that Crooks was mocked for his appearance, adding that he sometimes even wore hunting clothes. He was a “loner” and often seemed “socially shy”.
“He was very smart. That’s what surprised me, he was a smart kid, he was awesome,” another classmate said. “Nothing crazy ever came up in any conversation.”
According to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, Thomas Crooks graduated from Bethel Park High School in 2022. He received a $500 “Star Award” from the National Math and Science Initiative, according to the newspaper.
A video of the 2022 graduation ceremony cited by the New York Times shows Crooks receiving her high school diploma amid thunderous applause. A video of that ceremony posted online shows Crooks in a black graduation gown, wearing glasses and posing with a school official.
‘He acted alone’
The FBI said on July 14 that Crooks’ social media profiles did not contain threatening language, nor did they find a history of mental health issues. They said he acted alone and did not offer a motive.
The nursing home administrator said in a statement that Crooks was working as a dietary aide at the nursing home at the time of the shooting.
Thomas Matthew Crooks also practiced firing at a shooting range on July 12, the day before Trump’s rally. The next morning, Crooks went to Home Depot to buy a five-foot ladder. He then purchased 50 rounds of ammunition from a gun store, the report said.
Sources say he used the same ladder to climb up to the building from where he opened fire on the 78-year-old Republican candidate.
