Authorities have identified the man who tried to kill former President Donald Trump at his rally in Pennsylvania. The shooter, 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, was killed by the Secret Service. The motive for the attack is unknown.
Crooks used a semi-automatic rifle in the assassination attempt, according to senior U.S. law enforcement officials. Bethel Park, where Crooks was from, is a predominantly white and affluent city near Pittsburgh. The rally took place in Butler, about an hour’s drive north of Pittsburgh.
Pennsylvania voter records show a Thomas Matthew Crooks with the same address and birth date as a registered Republican. However, it is unclear when this registration was made.
During a news conference, law enforcement officials stated that they were close to confirming the shooter’s identity, as he did not have any identification on him. They are working on biometric confirmations to finalize the identification.
Investigators are also looking into the shooter’s motive and whether he had any accomplices.
