5 things to know about Trump rally shooter, his family and high school

By Samantha Kamman, Christian Post Reporter Monday, July 15, 2024

Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump is rushed offstage after an assassination attempt on his life during a rally on July 13, 2024, in Butler, Pennsylvania. Butler County district attorney Richard Goldinger said the shooter is dead after injuring former U.S. President Donald Trump, killing one audience member and injuring another in the shooting. | Anna Moneymaker/Getty Image

The FBI identified 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks as the shooter behind the near assassination of former President Donald Trump last weekend. However, the motive behind the shooter’s actions reportedly remains unknown.

The 20-year-old managed to exploit a security gap during Trump’s rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday evening by firing a rifle from an elevated position 130 yards away from the event. While Trump survived the shooting, Crooks managed to injure the former president before law enforcement and Secret Service agents rushed him out of the area. In addition to injuring the former president, Crooks killed one of the rally attendees and injured two others.

A Secret Service sniper killed Crooks after he fired several shots with a rifle that had reportedly been legally purchased by the shooter's father. Authorities are actively investigating the shooter's background and attempting to determine a motive.

Here are five facts known so far about the Trump rally shooter:

Samantha Kamman is a reporter for The Christian Post. She can be reached at: samantha.kamman@christianpost.com. Follow her on Twitter: @Samantha_Kamman