--- title: "Shooter in Trump Assassination Attempt Identified" type: "post" post_id: "6657" slug: "shooter-in-trump-assassination-attempt-identified" canonical: "https://pennyforyourthoughts2.ca/2024/07/14/shooter-in-trump-assassination-attempt-identified/" markdown_url: "https://pennyforyourthoughts2.ca/2024/07/14/shooter-in-trump-assassination-attempt-identified.md" json_url: "https://pennyforyourthoughts2.ca/2024/07/14/shooter-in-trump-assassination-attempt-identified.json" txt_url: "https://pennyforyourthoughts2.ca/2024/07/14/shooter-in-trump-assassination-attempt-identified.txt" published: "2024-07-14T12:47:09+00:00" modified: "2024-07-14T14:48:26+00:00" author: "penny2" categories: - "Uncategorized" tags: - "US" site_name: "PFYT2" publisher: "" language: "en-US" generator: "easyPress Markdown" generator_version: "1.0.6" --- [National Review](https://www.nationalreview.com/news/shooter-in-trump-assassination-attempt-identified/) > The FBI has identified the individual suspected of attempting to assassinate former president Donald Trump at his rally in Butler, Pennsylvania on Saturday. > > Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania is believed to be the person who shot Trump and several rally attendees, the FBI confirmed. One rally-goer was killed in the shooting and another is in critical condition. > > **The FBI has identified Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania,** as the subject involved in the assassination attempt of former President Donald Trump on July 13, in Butler, Pennsylvania. This remains an active and ongoing investigation,” the [FBI said](https://x.com/costareports/status/1812362749499916352) in a statement. **The *New York Post* [first identified](https://nypost.com/2024/07/13/us-news/thomas-matthew-crooks-idd-as-gunman-who-shot-trump-during-pa-rally/) the shooter behind the attack.** > > **Law enforcement has not attributed a motive to the shooter, but has declared the incident an assassination attempt**. **The suspect [appears to be](https://x.com/rpyers/status/1812351799682277445) a registered Republican who once donated to a Democratic-aligned progressive group**. Bethel Park, Pennsylvania is a Pittsburgh suburb roughly 40 miles south of where the Trump rally took place. > > When the shooting took place, Trump was speaking on stage surrounded by supporters. **A bullet grazed Trump’s ear, causing him to [fall to the ground](https://www.nationalreview.com/news/trump-escorted-off-stage-after-shots-fired-at-pennsylvania-rally/) as blood streamed down his face. Instantaneously, Secret Service agents on scene ran on stage to protect Trump, help him to his feet, and escort him off the stage so he could be taken to hospital for treatment** **I’m assuming when the Secret Service got him up they knew already the shooter had been neutralized aka killed** > As he was leaving the stage, Trump [pumped his fist](https://www.nationalreview.com/corner/trumps-remarkable-reaction/?utm_source=recirc-desktop&utm_medium=homepage&utm_campaign=right-rail&utm_content=corner&utm_term=second) and chanted “fight,” a moment that immediately became an [iconic representation](https://www.nationalreview.com/2024/07/the-attempted-assassination-of-donald-j-trump/) of his political career and personal charisma. Trump’s campaign shared [a video](https://x.com/margommartin/status/1812345759959760975) of him walking down the steps of his personal airplane after it landed in New Jersey. Trump was walking without issue and seemed to be in good spirits. > ***“I want to thank The United States Secret Service, and all of Law Enforcement, for their rapid response on the shooting that just took place in Butler, Pennsylvania. Most importantly, I want to extend my condolences to the family of the person at the Rally who was killed, and also to the family of another person that was badly injured,”*** Trump said on Truth Social. > “I was shot with a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear. I knew immediately that something was wrong in that I heard a whizzing sound, shots, and immediately felt the bullet ripping through the skin,” he added. > The FBI is leading the investigation alongside federal, state, and local law enforcement into the assassination attempt against the former president. > > Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a [statement](https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/attorney-general-merrick-b-garland-statement-shooting-former-president-donald-j-trumps-rally) the FBI ATF, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Pennsylvania, and the Justice Department’s national security division are working with Secret Service and state and local law enforcement partners on the ground. > > President Joe Biden and scores of other political leaders quickly [condemned](https://www.nationalreview.com/news/biden-says-everyone-must-condemn-trump-assassination-attempt-plans-to-speak-with-rival/) the shooting and expressed sympathies for Trump and his family. Biden and other top national security officials have been briefed on the situation. > > **The shooter appears to have been situated on the roof of a nearby tower and used a rifle to carry out the attack before being killed by law enforcement.** [Multiple witnesses](https://www.nationalreview.com/news/witnesses-recall-seeing-rifle-bearing-man-on-rooftop-trump-rally-goer-shot-in-head/) at the Trump rally said they noticed a man holding a rifle on top of a building next to the rally, and some said they alerted police to the situation. The FBI is asking the public to help with its search and created a [webpage](https://tips.fbi.gov/digitalmedia/dc713f2e60d47fd?=334) for submitting tips. **Did see some imagery of snipers, as security detail present, on other roofs. If this is accurate how did they not see the shooter? They should have. If people on the ground saw him. There are numerous reports of the shooter being seen and reported- there was even a video interview with one of them** > House Republicans have promised to investigate the assassination attempt against Trump to the fullest extent, and Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R., Ky.) [is requesting](https://x.com/GOPoversight/status/1812320043188846752) testimony from Secret Service director Kimberly Cheatle to testify on July 22. > > **The assassination attempt is already considered to be one of the most significant intelligence and law enforcement failures in American history.** > the would-be assassin himself acted very unprofessionally, taking up a firing position out in the open making his mission a guaranteed one-way ticket. > > The fact that he managed to hit former President Trump means he obviously had experience firing a rifle, but little to no… [pic.twitter.com/ALf6u5e2g2](https://t.co/ALf6u5e2g2) > > — Brian Berletic (@BrianJBerletic) [July 14, 2024](https://x.com/BrianJBerletic/status/1812375678014402852?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) **For those who can’t access X** **From the first Brian Berletic comment above** ..**such indicators should have been prohibited by security;** 2\. **All potential positions for an assassin were almost certainly assessed, video evidence suggests security had snipers pointed in their direction, but apparently access to them left unguarded. If the audience saw the assassin moving into an obvious firing position, trained snipers with scopes certainly did; It is difficult to believe the US Secret Service was so systematically incompetent.** **The remainder of the 2nd Brian Berletic comment** ..**but little to no tactical training. If security lapses were intentional, I wouldn’t be surprised if he was approached by someone like the FBI, walked through the whole process, like many subpar “terror suspects” the FBI has trained, given weapons/explosives to, often arresting them at the last moment, but once in a while “accidentally” failing to do so before a live attack.** **I generally find Brian Berletic’s analysis to be worth considering** **Brian is suggesting we’re looking at the use of a patsy..**.