The 20-year-old man suspected of attempting to assassinate former US President Donald Trump had previously attempted to join his high school’s rifle team but was rejected due to his poor marksmanship skills.
Thomas Matthew Crooks was fatally shot by law enforcement after allegedly attacking the 78-year-old Republican presidential candidate at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. He had positioned himself on a rooftop approximately 140 meters from the stage where Trump was speaking, using an AR-15-style semiautomatic rifle purchased by his father. The gunfire injured Trump’s right ear, resulted in the death of a 50-year-old man, and critically wounded two other spectators.
Crooks, a resident of Bethel Park, located about an hour away from the scene of the shooting, was also a member of a local shooting club named Clairton Sportsmen’s Club. Reports indicate he had also tried out for his high school’s rifle team but was rejected after displaying significant incompetence with a firearm.
“He tried out…and was such a comically bad shot he was unable to make the team and left after the first day,” said former student Jameson Murphy, as reported by The Post. Another classmate affirmed, “Crooks couldn’t shoot at all. He was a terrible shot.”
Described as “quiet” and “respectful” by his high school counselor Jim Knapp, Crooks graduated in 2022 and was working an entry-level job near his hometown in Pennsylvania. Despite his unassuming demeanor, the violent incident has had significant repercussions, prompting adjustments in security measures for political figures like President Joe Biden.
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