Thomas Matthew Crooks, the individual who fired shots at the rally attended by former US President Donald Trump, was characterized as a reserved and peaceful individual by those who knew him, as per CNN. Despite the ongoing uncertainty in the geopolitical landscape following the shooting incident, Crooks’ family is currently grappling with the aftermath of the events that transpired on Saturday.
Matthew Crooks, the father of Thomas, expressed to CNN over the phone that he was attempting to understand the situation. He added that he would reserve his comments on his son and his behavior until after speaking with law enforcement.
Uncle of the shooter, Mark Crooks, shared with The Independent that the family was deeply shocked by the incident and remains clueless about the possible motives behind the attack on Donald Trump at the Pennsylvania rally. “I am at a loss for words,” the 68-year-old stated, mentioning that he is still grappling with the news.
Mark Crooks, a Pennsylvania resident, mentioned that he had not been in touch with the shooter for many years. “I haven’t come across the young man since he was a child. He never seemed interested in keeping in touch, so we lost contact,” he informed The Independent.
The shooter’s parents, Matthew and Mary Crooks, are both licensed behavioral counselors. Thomas Crooks was 20 years old, and this election would have marked his first opportunity to vote in a presidential election.
Crooks was an outcast during his high school years, described as a reserved and introverted individual with no history of violent behavior, according to his former classmates and neighbors who were interviewed by CNN.
The shooter’s peers portrayed him as a timid and solitary figure who preferred to stay in the background, struggled to fit in during high school, and showed no interest in politics. One classmate mentioned that he was occasionally bullied by others and was often seen as a “loner”, making him an easy target for mistreatment.
“I was completely taken aback – I never would have imagined he would do something so brazen, especially since he was always so quiet and kept to himself,” shared one of his classmates.
During a political gathering on Saturday, Thomas Matthew Crooks discharged multiple rounds from an AR-style firearm, resulting in one of the bullets striking Donald Trump in the right ear. The shooting incident led to the loss of life of a bystander and left two others in critical condition.