Authorities have identified the gunman involved in the attack against former U.S. President Donald Trump on Saturday as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks. The FBI named Crooks in a statement early Sunday morning, identifying him as a resident of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, about 35 miles south of Butler, where Trump was holding his rally.
The Incident
According to law enforcement officials, Crooks fired on Trump while perched on a nearby building rooftop outside the rally’s security perimeter. He was subsequently killed by Secret Service agents at the scene. Witnesses described a “bloody” and chaotic scene, with people trying to administer first aid to those hit by the gunfire amidst a dense crowd. The shooting left one rally attendee dead and two others in critical condition. Trump was injured, stating on social media that he had been hit by a bullet in the upper part of his ear, though his campaign added that he was otherwise fine. Trump flew back to Newark, New Jersey, late Saturday night.

Ongoing Investigation
Attention now turns to the active and ongoing investigation, which involves multiple federal and state bodies. The FBI has urged members of the public to submit any information they have through a tip line or the agency website, including photos or videos of the shooting. Crooks graduated from Bethel Park High School in 2022 and was registered to vote as a Republican. Federal Election Commission records show that a donor named Thomas Crooks, with the same address, gave $15 to a Democratic-aligned political action committee called the Progressive Turnout Project in January 2021.
Family and Identification
When reached by CNN late Saturday night, Crooks’ father, Matthew Crooks, expressed confusion and said he would wait to speak to law enforcement before commenting on his son. After being killed at the scene, Crooks did not have any identification on his body, so agents had to “run his DNA and get biometric confirmation,” according to Kevin Rojek, the special agent in charge of the FBI’s Pittsburgh field office.
This incident has shocked many and underscores the volatile atmosphere surrounding political events in the country. The investigation is ongoing, and updates will be provided as more information becomes available.