In a tragic turn of events, the parents of Thomas Matthew Crooks, the 20-year-old gunman who attempted to assassinate former President Donald Trump at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, had reported him missing to police prior to the incident. Crooks, who lived in Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, was identified as the shooter by the FBI. Despite having no criminal record, Crooks managed to position himself on a rooftop near the rally, armed with an AR-style rifle, from where he opened fire.
The assassination attempt occurred on July 13, 2024, during a rally attended by thousands. The incident left one bystander dead and two others critically injured. Trump, who was grazed by a bullet or glass fragment near his ear, was quickly escorted off the stage by Secret Service agents. The shooter was killed by counter-snipers at the scene.
🚨 UPDATE: Trump Assassination Attempt
Let me get this Straight… the Shooter was not only Featured in a BlackRock Ad
BUT ALSO, the Building he tried to Assassinate Trump from is partially-owned by BlackRock, and Ran by Former Exec’s of Pfizer?
WHAT!? 🤯🤯🤯
• American Glass… pic.twitter.com/u1JEr7aA8G
— MJTruthUltra (@MJTruthUltra) July 19, 2024
Thomas Crooks’ parents had contacted law enforcement expressing concerns about their son's whereabouts and mental state. Despite this, Crooks was able to reach the rooftop and execute his plan. The FBI is still investigating the motives behind the attack and any potential accomplices.
Currently we know almost nothing about what drove the shooter.
So here’s the situation … pic.twitter.com/uxpzEsna5v
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 17, 2024
Witnesses reported seeing the gunman before the shooting and alerted authorities, but it appears their warnings went unheeded. A video showed the crowd shouting “He’s got a gun!” moments before the shooting began.
This has led to significant scrutiny of the Secret Service’s handling of the event, with critics arguing that more should have been done to prevent the gunman from getting so close to the former president.
Adding to the controversy, Jacqueline Marsaw, a staffer for Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-MS), posted a now-deleted message on social media expressing disappointment that the shooter missed his target. This post sparked outrage and further polarized the political climate surrounding the assassination attempt.
This incident marks one of the most serious assassination attempts on a U.S. president or presidential candidate since the attempted assassination of Ronald Reagan in 1981.
This information proves that this is not some random act. The fact the shooter was not noticed and confronted, lax. Trump should not have been allowed on stage, and even come out. The incompetence of so many individuals, shows some of these protectors are not qualified. That is not racist. That is called common sense.