Reports indicate that the father of the 20-year-old individual who nearly harmed Donald Trump over the weekend was studied by the former president’s 2016 campaign.
Thomas Matthew Crooks from Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, was identified as the gunman who fired shots from a rooftop as Trump addressed a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, last Saturday. Trump was swiftly escorted off stage after a bullet grazed his ear, with one attendee succumbing to injuries and two others critically wounded before Crooks was fatally shot by Secret Service agents.
The AR-15 style rifle used in the incident belonged to Crooks’ father, Matthew Crooks, who purchased it in West Mifflin, Pennsylvania, in 2013, as per The Associated Press. Matthew Crooks was part of a database constructed by Trump’s 2016 campaign, profiling millions of voters in crucial swing states to pinpoint gun owners who could be targeted with pro-gun messages leading up to the election, as outlined by Channel 4 News.
The Trump campaign has been reached out to for a response via email.
In the database, Crooks’ father was labeled as a strong Republican, probable gun owner, and “hunter.” Additionally, his mother, Mary Crooks, was flagged as a potential gun owner.
However, the scores allocated to individuals were based on models that might not have accurately reflected their actual beliefs or gun ownership status at the time.
Despite his father being registered as a Libertarian voter and his mother as a Democrat, both working as social workers, there is no indication that they were aware of Crooks’ actions prior to the shooting.
The FBI is investigating the incident as a potential act of domestic terrorism, with the belief that Crooks acted alone. His family is reportedly cooperating with authorities, and there is no evidence suggesting prior knowledge of the attack.
Matthew Crooks mentioned to CNN that he is trying to make sense of the situation and will refrain from speaking publicly about his son until he consults with law enforcement.
Crooks, a recent graduate of Bethel Park High School and a dietary aide at a nursing home, was registered as a Republican voter in Pennsylvania. However, records show he donated $15 to a progressive political action committee on January 20, 2021 – the day President Joe Biden assumed office.
The motive behind the attack remains unclear. The FBI has conducted searches at Crooks’ residence, car, phone, and computer, and has interviewed over 100 individuals since the incident.
Authorities have not disclosed any details publicly regarding whether Crooks left behind any clues explaining his targeting of Trump.