Former President Trump Narrowly Escapes Assassination Attempt at Political Rally: Suspect Identified as Thomas Matthew Crooks

Bethel Park, Pennsylvania United States of America
Crooks used an AR-15 style rifle purchased by his father to open fire on Trump from a rooftop.
Former President Trump narrowly escaped assassination at a political rally in November 2024.
Investigation being treated as possible domestic terrorism with explosives materials found in suspect's vehicle.
Suspect had no apparent history of mental health issues or previous threats, but had registered to vote as a Republican and donated to a Democratic-leaning group.
Suspect identified as Thomas Matthew Crooks from Bethel Park, Pennsylvania.
Former President Trump Narrowly Escapes Assassination Attempt at Political Rally: Suspect Identified as Thomas Matthew Crooks

In a shocking incident, former President Donald Trump narrowly escaped assassination at a political rally in November. The suspected gunman has been identified as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks from Bethel Park, Pennsylvania. Despite having no apparent history of mental health issues or previous threats, Crooks managed to open fire on the former president from a rooftop using an AR-15 style rifle purchased by his father. The investigation is currently being treated as a possible case of domestic terrorism, with authorities discovering explosives materials in the suspect's vehicle. However, investigators have not found any strong political affiliations or indications of motive as yet. Crooks had registered to vote as a Republican but had also donated to a Democratic-leaning group in 2021. His parents were registered as a Democrat and Libertarian. High school classmates described him as an intelligent student with few friends, who never exhibited any red flags. The nursing home where he worked reported no reason for concern regarding his behavior. Investigations are ongoing, with authorities scouring the suspect's online presence and attempting to access his phone in order to uncover more information about his motives and potential connections. This incident has raised concerns about violence in politics and the deep polarization in American politics.



Confidence

80%

Doubts
  • Motive for the shooting is unclear.
  • No strong political affiliations have been found.

Sources

91%

  • Unique Points
    • Investigators are struggling to understand the motive behind the shooting of Donald Trump
    • Neighbors of the shooter are also trying to make sense of the incident
  • Accuracy
    • Investigators have found no evidence of Crooks’ motive for the attack.
    • The suspect was a registered Republican but had also donated to a progressive cause in 2021.
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (0%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

96%

  • Unique Points
    • Thomas Matthew Crooks, a 20-year-old from Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, attempted to assassinate former President Donald Trump during a campaign rally in November.
    • Crooks registered to vote as a Republican but made a small donation to a Democratic-leaning group.
  • Accuracy
    • Thomas Matthew Crooks attempted to assassinate former President Donald Trump during a campaign rally in November.
    • Crooks attack left one spectator dead and critically injured two others.
    • Investigators have found no evidence of Crooks' motive for the attack.
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

98%

  • Unique Points
    • A 20-year-old man named Thomas Matthew Crooks from Bethel Park, Pa. is suspected of trying to assassinate former president Donald J. Trump at a rally.
    • The suspect was identified by authorities and had recently received an associate’s degree in engineering science.
    • High school classmates described him as an intelligent student with few friends who exhibited no red flags.
    • The nursing home where he worked gave no reason for concern regarding his behavior.
    • FBI officials are investigating the incident as a possible case of domestic terrorism and found explosives materials in the suspect’s vehicle.
    • The suspect used an AR-15 style rifle purchased by his father to open fire from a rooftop outside the rally.
    • Investigators are scouring his online presence and working to gain access to his phone but have not found indications of strongly held political beliefs yet.
    • The suspect was a registered Republican but had also donated to a progressive cause in 2021. His parents were registered as a Democrat and Libertarian.
  • Accuracy
    • ]A 20-year-old man named Thomas Matthew Crooks from Bethel Park, Pa. is suspected of trying to assassinate former president Donald J. Trump at a rally.[
    • Thomas Matthew Crooks, a 20-year-old from Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, attempted to assassinate former President Donald Trump during a campaign rally in November.
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication