Revealed: Donald Trump shooter is a 20-year-old registered Republican who donated to Biden – as his father says he is trying to work out ‘what the hell is going on’
The gunman who shot Donald Trump last night is a 20-year-old registered Republican who donated to Joe Biden.
Thomas Matthew Crooks was shot dead by a US Secret Service sniper after he opened fire on the former President during a rally in Pennsylvania.His father, Matthew Crooks, 53, told CNN he was trying to figure out ‘what the hell is going on’ but would ‘wait until I talk to law enforcement’ before speaking.Crooks had fired at least eight bullets from a rooftop just 130 yards from where Trump, 78, was on stage in Butler speaking to thousands of fans at 6.15pmLaw enforcement sources told CBS News that Crooks, from Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, had been armed with ‘an AR-style rifle’.During the attack, he appeared to be wearing merchandise promoting one of YouTube‘s most popular channels devoted to firearms – Demolition Ranch – NBC News reported.Special Agent Kevin Rojek, the FBI officer in charge, said Crooks had been identified using DNA as he was not carrying any ID on him.State voter records show Crooks was a registered Republican. According to US media, when he was aged 17 he donated $15 to the liberal ActBlue political action committee on January 20, 2021 – Biden’s Inauguration Day.Last night a bomb squad and agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were at an address registered to Crooks as cops stood guard in front of yellow police caution tape.A member of the crowd was killed in the deadly shooting, while two others who were wounded are in a critical condition. All three are males, according to law enforcement officials.Trump was left bloodied and hurt during the assassination attempt as he was seen to suddenly grab hold of his ear as loud bangs rang out and whizzed by before he ducked to the floorThe Secret Service swarmed around the 45th US President as piercing screams were heard from the MAGA crowd.He then got to his feet with blood pouring down his cheek and raised his fist in the air and defiantly shouted ‘fight’ while the audience shouted ‘USA’ as he was dragged off stage and bundled into a vehicle.
Trump pumped a fist at the crowd and did not seem to severely injured as he walked on his own off the stage, surrounded by secret service
Police personnel stand over the body of Thomas Matthews Crooks on a rooftop
Officers stand guard outside a cordon in Bethel Park as cops search an address registered to Crooks
Donald Trump raises his fist moments after being injured in a shooting at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday evening
This is the moment the president was injured as at least one stunned onlooker realized something had gone very wrong
Trump had blood streaming down his cheeks as Secret Service agents put him to the floor
The former president appeared to be shot in the ear
Blood can be seen pouring from the side of the former president’s head
As Trump pumped his fist to the crowd, some were heard cheering his name and chanting ‘USA’ and ‘Make America Great Again’
The extent of Trump’s injuries are not clear, although he appeared to want to show his supporters that he was okay within seconds of being shot
Trump appeared to mouth the word ‘fight’ as he was dragged away
Trump is seen surrounded by Secret Service agents in the moments after the shooting. He raised his fist to indicate that he was okay in an image that has since swept the globe
Donald Trump appeared to be shot in the ear as shots were fired at the former president at a rally in Pennsylvania
Trump mouthed the word ‘fight’ at supporters as blood spattered across his face
A visibly boodied Trump is carried off stage before he is bundled into a vehicle and taken to hospital‘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.‘It is incredible that such an act can take place in our country.
‘GOD BLESS AMERICA!’
Rep. Ronny Jackson revealed his nephew was shot during the assassination attempt on Trump.Jackson, who was Trump and President Barack Obama’s White House physician, said he helped his nephew and a friend get a spot in the friends and family section close to the stage at the rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.He told Fox News on Saturday night that his relative was grazed in the neck and bleeding.‘They heard the shots and everybody dropped to the ground and … he was grazed in the neck, a bullet crossed his neck and he was bleeding,’ Jackson said on Fox News. ‘This is my nephew. They were there. I set them up. They went to the rally.’Butler County District Attorney Richard Goldinger said he was told by detectives that the gunman was on the roof of a building adjacent to the event, and the shooting ‘would have required a rifle’ as it ‘was several hundred yards’ away.The identity of the dead bystander have not yet been confirmed. An AR-style rifle was recovered at the scene.In an image that has already gone around the world, Trump was pictured repeatedly pumping his fist with blood dripping from his face while being swarmed by Secret Service agents.Moments later, he was rushed away to safety.A stunned witness, named only as Greg, told the BBC he saw the would-be assassin climb onto the top of a building outside the event, and that he was bewildered by the lack of action from agents.He said: ‘I’m thinking to myself, why is Trump still speaking, why have they not pulled him off the stage? The next thing you know, five shots ring out.’After the gunman opened fire he saw the Secret Service ‘blow his head off,’ the man said.
In a post to Truth Social, Trump said his thoughts are with the family of the rally attendee who was killed as he offered details of the shooting
Police snipers return fire after shots were fired while Trump was speaking at a campaign rally
