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Who is Thomas Matthew Crooks?

Thomas Matthew Crooks left few clues about his identity, and investigators said he did not have a social media presence.
What is known is Crooks was from Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, a small suburb about 30 minutes south of Pittsburgh.
He lived with his parents, Mary Elizabeth Crooks and Matthew Brian Crooks.
The Crooks have been licensed professional counselors since 2002, according to the Pennsylvania Department of State Licensing System Verification service.
Thomas Matthew Crooks attended and graduated from Bethel Park High School in 2022.
In May 2024, Crooks graduated from the Community College of Allegheny County with an associate degree in engineering science, the school revealed.
Crooks was previously employed as a dietary aide at Bethel Park Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation Center.
He was a registered Republican but made a small $15 donation to a progressive political group in January 2021.
Crooks did not have a criminal history in Pennsylvania.

How did Thomas Crooks obtain the rifle used in the shooting?

Federal investigators believe the AR-15-style rifle Thomas Crooks used in the shooting on July 13 was legally purchased and registered to his father.
Matthew Brian Crooks purchased the weapon at least six months before the Trump rally shooting, according to AP News.
It's unknown how the younger Crooks took possession of the firearm.
The Crooks family is cooperating with federal investigators.
Thomas Crooks also had a membership at the local shooting club, the Clairton Sportsmen's Club, for at least a year, according to BBC.

What were Thomas Matthew Crooks' final moments?

On July 12, federal investigators learned Thomas Crooks visited the Clairton Sportsmen's Club.
On July 13, the day of the Trump rally in Butler, Crooks went to a Home Depot and purchased a five-foot ladder that investigators believe he used to scale a rooftop about 430 feet outside the Secret Service's perimeter.
That same day, investigators said Crooks purchased 50 rounds of ammunition at a gun store and drove his Hyundai Sonata an hour north to Butler.
Crooks fired at least eight shots at Donald Trump and rally-goers at 6:11 pm, less than 10 minutes after the presidential candidate took the stage.
A Secret Service counter-sniper positioned near the stage where Trump was delivering his remarks returned fire within seconds, killing Crooks.

What was his motive behind the shooting?

The FBI is still working on determining a motive behind the shooting.
The federal agency is viewing the act as domestic terrorism.
Crooks is believed to have acted alone.
Federal officials have been able to gain access to Crooks' cell phone, but it has yielded no clues about a motive, according to the New York Post.
Crooks' cell phone and laptop have been sent to the FBI's lab in Quantico, Virginia, for further analysis.