Law enforcement officials have identified the individual responsible for the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump during a rally in Pennsylvania last Saturday.
According to the FBI, the deceased shooter has been named as Thomas Matthew Crooks, a 20-year-old resident of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania. As of now, the motive behind his actions remains unclear.
Anthony Guglielmi, chief of communications for the Secret Service, reported that the gunman was swiftly “neutralized” at the scene.
Bethel Park, where Crooks resided, is located in the southern outskirts of Pittsburgh and is known for its predominantly white population and relative affluence. The rally itself took place in Butler, approximately an hour’s drive north of Pittsburgh.
Records from Pennsylvania’s voter registry indicate that a Thomas Matthew Crooks matching the same address and birth date is registered as a Republican. However, it is uncertain when this registration was established based on available records.
During a news conference on Saturday night, law enforcement officials indicated that they were nearing a positive identification of the shooter, who was found without identification, according to state police Lt. Col. George Bivens.
“We have tentatively identified the shooter,” he stated. “Biometric confirmations are currently underway.”
Authorities highlighted the ongoing efforts to uncover a motive and investigate the potential involvement of any accomplices during the same news conference.
