The gunman accused of attempting to assassinate former US President Donald Trump has been identified by the FBI as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, according to Reuters and Associated Press.
Key Takeaways
- Two people have been killed, and two remain in a critical condition, following a shooting at the Trump campaign rally in Pennsylvania.
- The shooter was located outside the rally and killed by the Secret Service, according to the AP, which noted an AR-style rifle was recovered at the scene of the shooting by law enforcement.
- “The FBI has identified Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, as the subject involved in the assassination attempt of former President Donald Trump on July 13, in Butler, Pennsylvania. This remains an active and ongoing investigation,” the Bureau said in a statement.
- Trump said in a Truth Social post a bullet pierced his upper right ear and noted he knew something was wrong when “he heard a whizzing sound, shots, and immediately felt the bullet ripping through the skin.”
- US President Joe Biden released a statement saying he is “grateful” to hear Trump is safe, adding, “There’s no place for this kind of violence in America.”
Who Shot at Donald Trump?
The gunman accused of attempting to assassinate former US President Donald Trump has been identified by the FBI as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks.
One witness told the BBC he saw a man crawling on top of a building just outside the event in Butler County about five minutes into Trump’s speech and alerted the police.
“We noticed the guy bear-crawling up the roof of the building beside us, 50 feet away,” Greg Smith said. “He had a rifle; we could clearly see a rifle.”
Smith later saw agents shoot the gunman: “They crawled up on the roof, they had their guns pointed at him, made sure he was dead. He was dead, and that was it—it was over.”
Related
What weapon was used?
An AR-style rifle was reportedly recovered at the scene of the Trump rally shooting, according to an AP source
Trump’s Statement
On his Truth Social account, Trump described the injury he sustained during the shooting:
“I was shot with a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear. I knew immediately that something was wrong when I heard a whizzing sound, shots, and felt the bullet ripping through the skin. Much bleeding took place, so I realized then what was happening. GOD BLESS AMERICA!” he wrote.
Was it an assassination attempt?
It certainly appears so, as Goldinger told CNN the shooter was outside the rally and “several hundred yards away.”
When asked if he believed it was an assassination attempt, President Biden said prior to Goldinger’s statement, “I have an opinion, but I don’t have any facts, so I want to make sure we have all the facts before I make any more comments.”
According to the Associated Press, top Trump campaign adviser Chris LaCivita hinted at some larger conspiracy by writing on X, “well of course they tried too keep him off the ballot , they tried to put him in jail and now you see this …,” but then deleted his post.
Reactions
Are you – or is someone you know -creating the next Afterpay or Canva? Nominations are open for Forbes Australia’s first 30 under 30 list. Entries close midnight, July 31, 2024.
Look back on the week that was with hand-picked articles from Australia and around the world. Sign up to the Forbes Australia newsletter here or become a member here.
