FBI identifies Trump rally shooter as Thomas Matthew Crooks <--- Thread is about the perpetrator, the crime, and the motivation, not Trump

[essentialsaltes]

This thread is about the crime and perpetrator. Obviously Trump was the target, but this thread is not about him or anything pertaining to him specifically.

“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, and anyone with information that may assist with the investigation is encouraged to submit photos or videos online at FBI.gov/butler or call 1-800-CALL-FBI.”

 

[essentialsaltes]

FWIW, NY Post reports he was registered Republican.

"An AR-style rifle was later recovered."

 

[Ana the Ist]

This thread is about the crime and perpetrator. Obviously Trump was the target, but this thread is not about him or anything pertaining to him specifically.

“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, and anyone with information that may assist with the investigation is encouraged to submit photos or videos online at FBI.gov/butler or call 1-800-CALL-FBI.”

So...only interesting points I've seen so far....

1. Registered Republican, though that doesn't mean much since he isn't old enough to have voted in anything other than the 2022 mid terms.

2. Donated 15$ to Act Blue, a Democratic Party PAC in 2021, but again, this isn't a substantial piece of evidence for anything.

That's all I've seen so far.

 

[Hazelelponi]

So...only interesting points I've seen so far....

1. Registered Republican, though that doesn't mean much since he isn't old enough to have voted in anything other than the 2022 mid terms.

2. Donated 15$ to Act Blue, a Democratic Party PAC in 2021, but again, this isn't a substantial piece of evidence for anything.

That's all I've seen so far.

Actually 2022 some on the left were calling for people to vote as Republicans during the primaries in order to upset certain Republican primaries and candidates.

From what my husband has gathered he says the kids Antifa...

Just so your informed, there's another person on Facebook with the same name who isn't the shooter - so be careful if you go hunting for information.

 

[Ana the Ist]

Actually 2022 some on the left were calling for people to vote as Republicans during the primaries in order to upset certain Republican primaries and candidates.

I recall that as well...but we're talking about very tiny pieces of info.

It's not enough to go on.

From what my husband has gathered he says the kids Antifa...

I think that's part of the rumor mill that began swirling in the early hours of the event. Some people thought it was staged initially.

I don't think any Antifa connection has been made.

Just so your informed, there's another person on Facebook with the same name who isn't the shooter - so be careful if you go hunting for information.

Here’s What Is Known About the Suspect Who Tried to Assassinate Trump

Authorities identified the gunman as a 20-year-old man from Bethel Park, Pa., a town about an hour’s drive from the site of the shooting.

www.nytimes.com

NYT is where I got those details from.

 

[High Fidelity]

Crazy he can’t even buy a beer, but he can position himself on an elevated position at a Presidential campaign rally with a semi-automatic rifle.

With how local the suspect was I imagine it’ll be a spur of the moment decision made recently than something massively premeditated, but we’ll see.

People shoot up schools to finally be ‘recognised’ so this could also be another event like that.

We’ll see, either way it’s insane and no matter your politics or someone else’s, you disagree at the ballot box, not with a rifle.

 

[Larniavc]

This thread is about the crime and perpetrator. Obviously Trump was the target, but this thread is not about him or anything pertaining to him specifically.

“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, and anyone with information that may assist with the investigation is encouraged to submit photos or videos online at FBI.gov/butler or call 1-800-CALL-FBI.”

Any money it’s a bonkers GOP voter as usual.

 

[Michie]

Expert warns of conspiracy theories after Trump assassination attempt

Former president Donald Trump was shot a political rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday, leaving many in the Bay Area wondering what's next. One expert said it can lead to a slew of conspiracies. Emma Goss reports. 3:14

 

[ozso]

He fits the predominant profile of many shooters being males somewhere between 18-22 years old. I'm expecting him to be another young white male loner who's motive, plan, message etc to be found on his laptop and somewhere on social media or a blog.

 

[Ana the Ist]

Crazy he can’t even buy a beer, but he can position himself on an elevated position at a Presidential campaign rally with a semi-automatic rifle.

With how local the suspect was I imagine it’ll be a spur of the moment decision made recently than something massively premeditated, but we’ll see.

I had the same feeling.

People shoot up schools to finally be ‘recognised’ so this could also be another event like that.

I thought likewise when I saw his age....still, motivation is unclear.

We’ll see, either way it’s insane and no matter your politics or someone else’s, you disagree at the ballot box, not with a rifle.

I think that the media....the press in particular....has failed. Mainstream news sources have fallen on hard times and in attempt to stay relevant, fallen far from any pretense of objectivity. Maybe this guy was trying to "save democracy" or maybe he wanted to start a "civil war" but either way, I'm glad he failed. If murdering a candidate for the presidency is required to save democracy, we don't have a democracy anymore.

 

[rockytopva]

 

[Tropical Wilds]

I honestly think the whole thing is surreal and I can’t believe we are in this place right now. I genuinely don’t think this kid has any comprehension of just what he’s done, which is terrifying. I’m praying for Trump, his family, those who died, their families, those who are injured, and our country as a whole.

 

[High Fidelity]

I doubt that’s real. With deepfake stuff going around and intentionally making it sound like a conspiracy, yeah, doubt it’s real.

 

[ozso]

I doubt that’s real. With deepfake stuff going around and intentionally making it sound like a conspiracy, yeah, doubt it’s real.

Yeah I'm going to wait awhile on that. Also I heard there's someone with the same name who's being confused with the shooter. So that could be him.

 

[High Fidelity]

Yeah I'm going to wait awhile on that. Also I heard there's someone with the same name who's being confused with the shooter. So that could be him.

Yeah, I'm guilty of that too in the past, either way this is ridiculous and the worst part is it was likely always going to come to this with how partisan things have become.

I think it also highlights how fragile the image of safety is. Without doubt the US has the most well-sourced and sophisticated institutions when it comes to intelligence, defence and things like the Secret Service, so the fact this could happen is pretty wild. I think it goes to show that despite that façade, just how vulnerable people are in a country with more guns than people. All it takes is one person with ill-intent and nothing to lose and they can change the course of history far beyond the US elections.

 

[essentialsaltes]

Investigators believe the weapon was bought by the father at least six months ago, two law enforcement officials told The Associated Press.

I don't read any particular meaning in to this. But it's a new fact.

 

[Paulos23]

Investigators believe the weapon was bought by the father at least six months ago, two law enforcement officials told The Associated Press.

I don't read any particular meaning in to this. But it's a new fact.

It is a common pattern, young shooters getting or stealing guns from their parents.

 

[essentialsaltes]

Relatively little is publicly known about Crooks, though in the coming hours and days, his background and possible motives will be the subject of intense focus by media and law enforcement. Here’s what we know.

A local media outlet’s list of graduates of Bethel Park High School in 2022 listed Thomas Crooks as one of 20 students to have received a $500 prize for math and science from the school that year.

 

[ThatRobGuy]

I see chatter about his voter registration:

According to the CNN article, Crooks was a registered republican, however...

Federal Election Commission records show that a donor listed as Thomas Crooks with the same address gave to a Democratic-aligned political action committee called the Progressive Turnout Project in January 2021.


For many people (especially young people), when they register to vote, they often just register as the same thing as their parents. (that's what I did when I was 18, and didn't bother to change it until I was in my late-20's.)


So I don't know if either of these is enough to establish a potential motive.


Usually, when younger people like this commit such crimes, they often leave behind "manifestos" or several breadcrumbs on their social media (which I'm sure the Secret Service and FBI have already subpoenaed)

 

[Tropical Wilds]

What do we know about the victims and injured? Has Trump been seen publicly yet?