A clearer picture of Thomas Matthew Crooks, the 20-year-old who attempted to assassinate former President Trump, is emerging as former classmates share their impressions of him. Although investigators have yet to determine his motive, the reflections of those who knew him paint a complex portrait.
Crooks graduated from Bethel Park High School in 2022. Footage from the ceremony reveals only a few claps for the slender, bespectacled young man as he received his diploma. Former peers now describe him as a quiet loner, a characterization reinforced by his behavior and interactions during his school years.
Jason Kohler, a former classmate, told Fox News that Crooks was an “outcast” who faced daily bullying. Kohler recalled seeing him sitting alone at lunch, often mocked for his hunting attire. Julianna Grooms, another former student, echoed these sentiments, noting his awkward interactions and penchant for camouflage clothing. “People would say he was the student who would shoot up the school,” she told the Wall Street Journal.
Despite these harsh descriptions, not everyone agrees on the extent of Crooks’ isolation. Mark Sigafoos, who shared classes with him, described Crooks as a “nerdy kid” who was kind and helpful with schoolwork. Sigafoos disputed the notion that Crooks was harshly bullied or outwardly political, saying, “He never wore trench coats or anything of the sort to school.”
Sarah D’Angelo, another classmate, recalled him quietly playing games on his laptop during homeroom and never discussing politics or expressing extreme views. “I feel like this is one of those things that you wouldn’t expect from him,” she said.
However, there were hints of his political leanings. Max R. Smith, who took an American History course with Crooks, remembered him as a staunch conservative during class debates. “He definitely was conservative,” Smith told the Inquirer. This made the assassination attempt on a conservative figure like Trump even more perplexing. “It makes me wonder why he would carry out an assassination attempt on the conservative candidate.”
Crooks’ academic achievements add another layer to his enigmatic profile. He earned a National Math & Science Initiative Star Award in 2022, demonstrating his intellectual capabilities. Despite his reserved nature, he was described as kind and helpful by classmates like Sigafoos, who recalled Crooks assisting him with course material.
In 2020, Crooks listed himself as unemployed but had worked as a dietary aide at Bethel Park Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. Marcie Grimm, the center’s administrator, stated that Crooks “performed his job without concern” and had a clean background check.
Meanwhile, Butler county Sheriff Michael Slupe has given more incite into what took place.
Fox News reports:
Butler Township police received tips about a suspicious person outside the Trump rally and made efforts to find that person. Officers from Butler Township police started searching the area and eventually figured out that there was someone on the roof of the building. One officer helped another onto the roof. The second officer started to climb up on the roof and saw Crooks, who then pointed a gun at the officer.
At that point, the Butler Township officer dropped off the roof to avoid being shot. Crooks opened fire on Trump shortly afterwards.Moments later, a U.S. Secret Service counter sniper shot and killed Crooks.
The building Crooks fired from was a “rally point” for one of the local counter sniper teams, according to a federal law enforcement official familiar with the security plans.
