Latest news with #ThomasMatthewCrooks
International Business Times
19 hours ago
- Politics
- International Business Times
Trump Shooter Thomas Matthew Crooks Seen in New Video, a Year After Assassination Attempt as Motive Still Remains Unclear
A bizarre video featuring the man who tried to assassinate President Donald Trump during a rally in Pennsylvania last summer has resurfaced a year after the shooting. Thomas Matthew Crooks fired shots at Trump, who at the time was the leading Republican candidate for the presidency, on July 13, 2024. One of the bullets grazed Trump's ear, while another stray bullet killed 50-year-old Corey Comperatore, a father of two and a former fire chief, who was in the crowd. Now, a new video has surfaced that appears to show the would-be assassin talking about cooking holiday dishes with his parents and expressing a desire to get better at public speaking. Killer's Unlikely Video Thomas Matthew Crooks seen in the new video X Dressed in a neatly buttoned navy polo shirt and wearing glasses, the straight-laced 18-year-old Crooks appears composed and family-focused in the video, with no indication that he would go on to commit murder just two years later. "Hello, my name is Thomas Crooks. I'm currently 18 years old and live in Bethel Park, Pennsylvania," he said in the newly-unearthed clip. "My family consists of me, my mom and dad, my older sister, and our cat, Libby - and I don't think there's any better way to spend time with family than cooking meals together. "Me and my mom have cooked dinners together since I was a little kid, and on the holidays everybody helps out in the kitchen. For Thanksgiving, me and my dad will cook turkey and mashed potatoes together. At Christmas, me and my mom will bake dozens of cookies together. "In this course, I hope to improve my skills as a public speaker. I've never been particularly good at public speaking. Until then, good luck to you all." Thomas Matthew Crooks X The video is chilling precisely because of how normal it seems, offering no hint of the violent events that would later unfold in Butler. Crooks, who was shot dead by Secret Service snipers at the Trump rally, had been a registered Republican and had only completed high school two years prior to the incident. He was employed as a dietary aide at the Bethel Park Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, where he helped serve meals and care for elderly and recovering patients. No Signs of Mental Issues His employer said on Sunday that Crooks had passed a background check and had done his job without raising any concerns—before he showed up at the rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, armed with an AR-15-style rifle. Dionald Trump seen raising his fist after being shot in an assassination attempt as Secret Service agents move him from the stage X In a shocking and chaotic moment, Trump was seen clutching his ear and falling to the ground as Crooks' gunfire erupted, throwing the crowd into panic. Just seconds later, Trump stood up, raised his fist, and yelled "fight, fight, fight" while being rushed away by Secret Service agents to a waiting motorcade and then to a hospital. Speaking to the Daily Mail, Crooks' uncle, Mark Crooks, said he hadn't seen the shooter or his parents in several years, describing the family as "very private." "I haven't seen that part of my family in years,' he said. 'Honestly it's been so long I don't think much about them "It's a shame. The kid is like a stranger to me. They're private and they don't reach out to anybody any time." Thomas Matthew Crooks seen positioned on the rooftop of the building from where he fired at Trump X The Bethel Park School District, where Crooks had been a student until two years ago, confirmed his graduation and vowed to fully cooperate with authorities during the investigation. Records show that on the day of President Joe Biden's inauguration in 2020, Crooks made a donation to a group that supported him. So far, Crooks' reasons for trying to assassinate Trump remain unclear.
New York Post
19 hours ago
- Politics
- New York Post
Secret Service's most egregious failures revealed in damning reports on Trump's attempted assassination
The Secret Service was woefully underprepared when a gunman opened fire on President Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania last July — with major breakdowns in the communication of threats, in adequate training and the denial of multiple requests for key security resources, according to a pair of damning reports released by Senate investigators. Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Rand Paul (R-KY) outlined the agency's 'inexcusable negligence' before, during and after the attempt on Trump's life in what they called a 'cascade of preventable failures.' 8 Gunman Thomas Matthew Crooks came within centimeters of shooting Trump in the head as he addressed a rally crowd in Butler, Pennsylvania July 13. AFP via Getty Images Advertisement Many of the findings were previously reported, but the parallel reports by the chairmen of the Senate Judiciary and and Homeland Security committees offer definitive accounts of what happened — and why federal agents failed to stop the gunman, despite multiple sightings. Here are some of the most damning security lapses Security assets denied 8 Two blistering Senate reports highlight a 'cascade of preventable failures' that led to the attempt on President Trump's life last July. Getty Images Advertisement The Secret Service denied multiple requests by Trump's security team for additional security resources, the senators claim. The agency's 'War Room' — tasked with allocating security resources for Trump and other officials until Secret Service protection — denied a request for anti-drone systems at the Butler rally because the 'resources had already been allocated for the Republican and Democratic National Conventions.' Additionally, the agency didn't provide a Counter Assault Team liaison to coordinate between its agents and the local SWAT teams on the ground before the Butler rally, according to an advance agent's testimony. Thomas Matthew Crooks flew a drone around the fairgrounds to survey to scene and gather intelligence before taking his position on a rooftop, investigators found. Advertisement 8 The Secret Service has come under intense scrutiny as the one-year anniversary of the shooting arrived. Even getting additional marksmen was a problem. It wasn't until senior officials with the Secret Service's Office of Protective Operations stepped in that counter-sniper teams were approved. These are the sharpshooters who 'ultimately took out' the Butler gunman Crooks, according to Grassley's report. In all, Sen. Paul's report found there were 'at least' 10 major requests for more resources that were denied or left unfulfilled during the 2024 campaign, which ex-Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle vehemently denied. Threat against Trump's life kept under wraps Advertisement 8 Yearbook photo of Thomas Matthew Crooks. Obtained by the NY Post Ten days before the July 13, 2024 campaign rally, Secret Service officials were briefed on classified intelligence related to a threat on Trump's life. However, due to the agency's 'siloed practice for sharing' sensitive information, few involved in the then-ex-president's security operation were even aware of it. In this case, the threat likely came from Iran, according to multiple reports. The Islamic Republic vowed to retaliate against Trump for the order to assassinate top general Qasem Soleimani in his first term. '[T]he Secret Service had no process to share classified threat information with partners when the information was not considered an imminent threat to life,' read Grassley's report. As a result of this impeded flow of information, the Secret Service's local law enforcement partners, nor the agency's advance team assigned to the Butler event, received the relevant information. The Secret Service had 'multiple opportunities to share this information' leading up to the rally 'but repeatedly failed to do so,' Grassley's office contends. Technology failures 8 The Secret Service had 'multiple opportunities to share this information' leading up to the rally 'but repeatedly failed to do so.' Aristide Economopoulos Advertisement The Secret Service faced a barrage of costly technological failures in Butler that hampered agents' ability to communicate and surveil the fairgrounds. The agency's anti drone technology malfunctioned ahead of the rally, and was being repaired for 'hours' by an agent who 'lacked the training, knowledge and support to quickly fix the issue.' During that time, Crooks 'flew a drone — undetected — over the event site hours before the rally,' the Grassley report states. 8 The Secret Service faced a barrage of costly technological failures in Butler that hampered agents' ability to communicate and surveil the fairgrounds. Getty Images Advertisement Local law enforcement and Secret Service agents were also hindered by spotty cell phone reception on the day of the event, which prevented them from sharing information in real-time. Additionally, the agency had 'no policy in place' to 'proactively troubleshoot potential audio and data communication challenges,' according to the report, which further states the agency 'has yet to require agents to perform such an assessment.' According to the report, Secret Service officials said they don't believe a policy is necessary for operating counter-drone equipment for detection purposes, likening the technology's ease of use to 'turning on a flashlight.' Communication breakdowns 8 Local law enforcement and Secret Service agents were also hindered by spotty cell phone reception on the day of the event. Getty Images Advertisement The agency did not have a formal policy in place to effectively communicate changes to the security plans in Butler. Ahead of the event, a Trump campaign staffer asked the Secret Service advance team 'not to use large farm equipment' to block the line of sight between the stage and the rooftop of the AGR building some 130 yards away to avoid interfering with campaign press photos. The advance team — which didn't know about the active threat against Trump — decided to use a 'jumbotron and a large flag' to try to protect the president instead. However, those methods still allowed Crooks to shoot Trump — wounding him in the ear. Advertisement Grassley's report said 'not using the farm equipment possibly created an opportunity for the gunman to use the AGR's elevated rooftop to fire several shots at then former President Trump and kill and injure other rally participants.' 8 Diagram showing the approximate 130-yard distance between a shooter and Donald Trump on stage at the Butler Farm Show. NY Post In a briefing with Paul's Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, Secret Service officials conceded that Trump's unique status as a former president and candidate for office was not adequately considered during the 2024 campaign. Paul's report said the circumstance 'led to confusion and assumptions' both by Secret Service staff and local law enforcement. Crooks was stopped at the entrance to the Butler fairgrounds because he was carrying a rangefinder, which is used to determine distance in sports like hunting or golf. Although he was flagged as suspicious 'at least 25 minutes' prior to the shooting, he was still allowed inside. This information, provided to the Secret Service by the Pennsylvania State Police, according to Paul's report, was not relayed to Trump's personal security detail, who could have stopped him from taking the stage. 'What happened in Butler, Pennsylvania, was not just a tragedy—it was a scandal. The United States Secret Service failed to act on credible intelligence, failed to coordinate with local law enforcement, and failed to prevent an attack that nearly took the life of a then-former president,' said Paul. Grassley said the purpose of his report's release was to offer 'a clear path forward for the Secret Service to improve, so it can prevent another Butler from ever happening again.'
Fox News
a day ago
- Politics
- Fox News
Report gives new details on Trump assassination attempt suspect's 'descent into madness'
The 20-year-old gunman who tried to assassinate President Donald Trump at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, last summer experienced a "descent into madness" leading up to the incident, during which he was "having conversations with someone that wasn't there," a new report says. The New York Times, citing thousands of pages of school assignments, internet activity logs and interviews with dozens of people who knew Thomas Matthew Crooks and the investigation surrounding him, among other documents, reported this week that "he went through a gradual and largely hidden transformation from a meek engineering student critical of political polarization to a focused killer who tried to build bombs." "There was a mysteriousness to Thomas Crooks's descent into madness," Rep. Clay Higgins, R-La., who served on a Congressional task force that investigated the July 13, 2024 shooting, told the newspaper. He was "having conversations with someone that wasn't there," Higgins added, after learning information about Crooks' mental health during a trip to Pennsylvania to investigate the assassination attempt. TEXTS REVEAL OFFICERS WERE AWARE OF THOMAS CROOKS 90 MINUTES BEFORE SHOOTING Prior to the shooting targeting Trump, the only time Crooks got into trouble was receiving lunch detention in middle school for chewing gum, according to the New York Times. The newspaper reported that Crooks scored 1530 out of a possible 1600 on the SAT and graduated from the Community College of Allegheny County, where he spent several semesters on the dean's list while earning an engineering degree. He was preparing to transfer to Robert Morris University located outside of Pittsburgh, telling classmates he wanted to have a career in aerospace or robotics, the newspaper added. However, Crooks' father noticed his son's mental health taking a turn in the year before the shooting and especially after the May 2024 graduation, telling investigators he had seen Thomas talking to himself and dancing around in his bedroom late at night, the newspaper said. The alleged behavior coincided with a history of mental health and addiction struggles in Crooks' family, the New York Times reported, citing portions of a report from the Pennsylvania State Police. A classmate said to the newspaper that during high school, Crooks enjoyed talking about the economy and cryptocurrencies. At community college, he reportedly designed a chess board for the visually impaired, such as his mother, the New York Times added. "He seemed like a really intelligent kid – I thought he would be able to do whatever he wanted," Trish Thompson, who taught Crooks' engineering at the Community College of Allegheny County, told the newspaper. About a year before graduation, in April 2023, Crooks reportedly wrote an essay in favor of ranked-choice voting in American politics, arguing against "divisive and incendiary campaigns which are pulling the country apart." "As we move closer to the 2024 elections we should consider carefully the means by which we elect our officials," Crooks was quoted by the New York Times as saying. "We need an election system that promotes kindness and cooperation instead of division and anger." ATTEMPTED TRUMP ASSASSIN SEEN WALKING AROUND PENNSYLVANIA RALLY HOURS BEFORE OPENING FIRE Around that same time, the FBI said, Crooks made more than 25 different firearm-related purchases from online vendors using an alias. One purchase that Crooks made with an encrypted email address was gallons of nitromethane, a fuel additive that can be used to build explosives, according to the New York Times. He reportedly listed his home address for the delivery. In the summer of 2023, Crooks joined a local gun club, the New York Times reported. The newspaper added that Crooks visited news and gun websites, as well as the Trump administration's archives, before narrowing his online searches in the days leading up to the attack to queries such as 'How far was Oswald from Kennedy?'" Searches also included "major depressive disorder" and "depression crisis," the Times said. He also reportedly continued to show up for his job as a dietary aide at the Bethel Park Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in the weeks leading up to the Trump assassination attempt. On the night of the shooting, ATF agents visited Crooks' home in Bethel Park but had to evacuate after one spotted an ammunition can "with a white wire coming out" and a gallon jug labeled "nitromethane" in his closet, according to the New York Times. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Outside the property, agents then interviewed Crooks' parents, with them saying he liked building things and visiting the gun range, and his father also reportedly claiming that he did not "know anything" about his son.
Fox News
a day ago
- Politics
- Fox News
Secret Service changes the agency has made post-Trump Butler assassination attempt
The Secret Service has ushered in a series of changes to beef up its security measures in the aftermath of the July 2024 assassination attempt against President Donald Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania – including suspending six of its agents due to their response to the crisis. Secret Service Deputy Director Matt Quinn disclosed the suspensions Wednesday in an interview with CBS News, and said the consequences ranged from 10 days to 42 days of unpaid leave. Additionally, he said the agents would return to restricted roles following the suspension, and said the agency was "laser focused on fixing the root cause of the problem." "Secret Service is totally accountable for Butler," Quinn told CBS. "Butler was an operational failure and we are focused today on ensuring that it never happens again." The Secret Service confirmed to Fox News that the suspensions went into effect in February and that no agents had been fired. The agency faced harsh scrutiny in the aftermath of the ambush, where 20-year-old gunman Thomas Matthew Crooks fired eight bullets at Trump from a rooftop during a campaign rally on July 13, 2024. A bullet grazed Trump's ear, and the gunman killed Corey Comperatore, a 50-year-old firefighter, father and husband attending the rally. A Secret Service sniper killed Crooks. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital. Bill Gage, who served as a Secret Service special agent for former Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama, told Fox News Digital that the attempted assassination served as a wake-up call for the agency – bringing about overdue changes to the Secret Service. Specifically, Gage said the incident prompted the Secret Service to "create new divisions, new units to counter modern threats, and gave the agency a real focus." Former Secret Service Acting Director Ronald Rowe told lawmakers on a bipartisan House task force investigating the assassination attempt in December 2024 that the immediate changes to the agency included expanding the use of drones for surveillance purposes, and also incorporating greater counter-drone technology to mitigate kinetic attacks from other drones. Likewise, the agency also overhauled its radio communications networks and interoperability of those networks with Secret Service personnel, and state and local law enforcement officers. Streamlining these radio communications is a major change, according to Gage, who said he sometimes was outfitted with up to five radios because an integrated system didn't exist. Rowe also told lawmakers that the agency is seeking to beef up its staffing, and had assigned more special agents to Trump's security detail. Rowe said the agency was planning to use some of the additional $231 million in funding that Congress approved for the Secret Service in a stopgap spending bill in September 2024 to hire 1,000 new agents and officers in 2025. Other potential changes in the works include constructing a precise replica of the White House, instead of using Tyler Perry's White House replica at his Atlanta film studio as agents historically have done. Secret Service Director Sean Curran said in an April interview with Fox News' "My View with Lara Trump" that the agency is coordinating with the White House to build the replica at the James J. Rowley Training Center in Laurel, Maryland. Gage called it "inexcusable" that a replica of the White House didn't already exist and said even more value should be placed on training. "The service should really focus on training," Gage said. "There needs to be an increased mindset for training, where training is viewed as just as important as your assigned shift."
Fox News
a day ago
- Politics
- Fox News
Trump says 'American spirit' triumphs over 'forces of evil' on anniversary of Butler assassination attempt
President Donald Trump on Sunday reflected on the one-year anniversary of the assassination attempt against him, saying he believes God alone saved him that day to "restore our beloved Republic to greatness and to rescue our Nation from those who seek its ruin." Then-candidate Trump survived an assassination attempt during a campaign rally on July 13, 2024, in Butler, Pennsylvania. Trump suffered an injury to his ear after a bullet grazed him, while one person was killed and a pair of others were wounded. A Secret Service sniper fatally shot the gunman, 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, who had climbed to the top of a nearby building. "One year ago today, at 6:11 pm—eight minutes after taking the stage on the grounds of Butler Farms to address thousands of Americans gathered at a campaign rally—rifle fire broke out, and an assassin's bullet came within a quarter inch of ending my life and silencing our movement to restore American greatness," Trump said in a statement on Sunday. BUTLER ONE YEAR LATER: REVISITING THE HISTORIC ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT AGAINST DONALD TRUMP "Yet, by the hand of providence and the grace of Almighty God, my life was spared," he continued. "As we commemorate one year since the harrowing events of July 13, 2024, we reaffirm that the American spirit has and will always triumph over forces of evil and destruction." The president commended those who rushed to help the victims at the rally, including first responders and ordinary rally attendees who, he said, "left as heroes." "Those who carry scars from that July evening defended our Republic during one of our nation's darkest hours—running to the injured amid chaos and uncertainty to provide comfort and lifesaving care," Trump said. He added that doctors and first responders rushed to help the wounded, while rallygoers guided their fellow citizens to safety and "patriots raised their fists in the air in an outpouring of support and national pride." "These men and women arrived at the rally grounds as ordinary Americans, but left as heroes," Trump said. "They represent the very best of our nation, and we are forever indebted for their kindness and compassion." TRUMP REVEALS CRUCIAL, SPLIT-SECOND MOMENT THAT SAVED HIS LIFE DURING BUTLER ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT Trump also highlighted the name of Corey Comperatore, the rally attendee who was killed protecting his family during the event. "The world will never forget the tragic loss of Corey Comperatore, a firefighter, veteran, and devoted husband and father," Trump said. "When gunfire erupted, Corey did not hesitate to protect his wife and two daughters. He died a hero, and we are eternally grateful for his inspiring love, valor, and faithfulness." The shooting in Butler raised questions about how the suspect was able to climb onto a nearby building and fire eight shots at Trump, leading to scrutiny of the Secret Service and the resignation of its director in the aftermath of the incident. Questions were further raised about the agency after another incident in September in which a gunman camped in the shrubbery outside one of Trump's golf courses before being shot at by a Secret Service agent. Under new leadership appointed by Trump, the agency has been working to address the failures that were highlighted last year, beginning with the Butler shooting. But questions about the security lapses still remain, and the motive of the gunman remains unclear. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP "It remains my firm conviction that God alone saved me that day for a righteous purpose: to restore our beloved Republic to greatness and to rescue our Nation from those who seek its ruin," Trump said in his statement. "One year after the attempt on my life in Butler, our country is in the midst of a new Golden Age. History will remember the would-be assassin for his cowardice and failure, but the magnificent legacy of the heroes of July 13, 2024, will forever be etched upon the heart of our nation." Trump also said Sunday while speaking to reporters that he does not like to think much about the Butler assassination attempt. "I don't like to think about it much," Trump said. "I have a job to do, so I don't like to think about it much. It's a little bit of a dangerous profession being president, but I really don't like to think about it. Better off not thinking about it."
