A 20-year-old nursing-home employee from Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, identified as Thomas Matthew Crooks, opened fire at a Trump rally held at the Butler Farm Show grounds in Butler County, Pennsylvania. The incident resulted in the death of one spectator, Corey Comperatore, a former fire chief, who was hailed as a hero for shielding his family from the gunfire. Two other spectators were critically injured.
Crooks, a registered Republican, packed explosives in his vehicle, which he drove to the campaign rally located an hour away from his home. Law enforcement officials are currently investigating the motive behind the attack. The FBI has not yet found any threatening writings or social media posts from Crooks, who had no prior criminal record.
Crooks graduated from Bethel Park High School in 2022 and was described as a slight-built individual who wore glasses. According to fellow student Jason Kohler, Crooks was frequently bullied at school and often sat alone during lunchtime. The school district has pledged full cooperation with the ongoing investigation.
Crooks worked as a dietary aid at Bethel Park Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation, where he had a clean background check upon hiring. The nursing home’s administrator, Marcie Grimm, expressed shock and sadness upon learning of Crooks’ involvement in the incident.
While Crooks’ political leanings remain unclear, records indicate that he was a registered Republican voter in Pennsylvania. However, federal campaign finance reports show that he donated $15 to a progressive political action committee on the day President Joe Biden was inaugurated.
Authorities have discovered bomb-making materials both in Crooks’ vehicle near the Trump rally and at his residence. A white Allegheny County Police truck, identified as a bomb squad vehicle, arrived at Crooks’ home on Sunday morning. Additionally, an AR-style rifle was recovered at the scene of the shooting, believed to have been purchased by Crooks’ father at least six months ago.
The investigation has not revealed any evidence of coordination between Crooks and other individuals in the region, according to Butler County District Attorney Richard Goldinger. Law enforcement officials have established a blockade near Crooks’ residence, which is located in a neighborhood of modest brick houses outside of Pittsburgh.
Videos and photos from the Trump rally, along with satellite imagery, indicate that Crooks was able to get close to the stage where former President Donald Trump was speaking. A video posted on social media shows Crooks lying motionless on the roof of a nearby manufacturing plant, wearing a T-shirt from the YouTube channel Demolition Ranch, known for its firearm-related content.
