Thomas Matthew Crooks, a 20-year-old from Pennsylvania, attempted the life of former President Donald Trump during a rally last weekend. He had pictures of Trump and Biden stored on his phone, and the would-be assassin had looked up details about them online. Nearly seven days before the protest, he went to the location and had images of William Barr, the attorney general, and a member of the British royal family, the Princess of Wales, stored on his phone. Crooks also looked for details on major depressive illness, the Butler, Pennsylvania rally, and the August Democratic National Convention.
His online behavior revealed worries about his mental health.
According to other ex-classmates, the gunman never once mentioned any political stance. Crooks had a broad contempt for leaders of both parties, according to Vincent Taormina, the gunman’s former classmate from middle school and high school. Since Saturday’s shooting, the F.B.I. has been searching Crooks’s belongings for evidence of his motivation. They have not yet discovered any evidence that Crooks had extreme political opinions. No proof of foreign involvement or co-conspirators has been found.
Authorities had speculated that a Steam account using Crook’s identity had foretold the shooting, but it has now been determined that this was an elaborate hoax. Additionally, there are indications that the gunman may have been depressed. Authorities have found searches on one of his phones showing he searched “major depressive disorder.”
Several items, some of which were tagged as “hazardous material,” arrived at the gunman’s doorstep during the past few months. After the discovery of three explosive devices linked to him, federal agents examined his shipping record. They found the automobile of the would-be assassin had two IEDs.
Two phones belonging to the gunman—one seized on the roof of a warehouse beyond the rally’s security perimeter and the other found during a search of his house—have failed to provide any evidence, leaving federal law enforcement authorities both perplexed and frustrated. There was no clear ideological or party pattern in his search history, according to FBI sources, although he did show a general interest in robust and renowned individuals.
