Staff Reports
In a scene that could have been ripped straight from a Hollywood thriller, investigators are revealing startling details regarding a would-be assassin, Thomas Matthew Crooks, and his audacious attempt to take out former President Donald Trump. This 20-year-old, clearly desperate for a bizarre form of infamy, made an ominous promise online, proclaiming that July 13 would be the day to “watch as it unfolds,” shortly before his failed assassination attempt.
In a series of questionable decisions, Crooks not only fixated on Trump but also investigated speaking dates for President Biden. One has to wonder what kind of convoluted logic led him to instead target Trump during a shooting spree in Butler, Pennsylvania—a spot inconveniently close to his home turf. Local and federal officials are now trying to piece together the motives driving this young man, who managed to bloody Trump with a shot to the ear, kill one individual, and injure two more at a Republican rally.
Would-be Trump assassin hinted at making his ‘premiere’ before rally shootinghttps://t.co/5MwnubwsB3 pic.twitter.com/dgGnbRTd8J
— The Washington Times (@WashTimes) July 19, 2024
Fortunately, Secret Service snipers swiftly neutralized the threat. Within seconds of Crooks’s eight-round outburst, they ensured he couldn’t inflict any further harm. While the public breathes a sigh of relief, investigators are scouring Crooks’s digital footprint to decode the mindset behind his fatal enterprise.
On closer inspection, it appears Crooks had a peculiar online presence. Parades of internet searches and social media posts reveal curiosities about Attorney General Merrick Garland, FBI Director Christopher Wray, and the Democratic National Convention’s schedule. His array of interests paints a chaotic picture blending elements of major depressive disorder research with potentially dangerous fixations on prominent political figures.
In the age of instant connectivity, Crooks wielded two cellphones laden with contacts, 27 in one to be exact. Federal investigators are now scurrying to contact these individuals, hopefully to shine some light on what made someone snap in today’s increasingly polarized and unpredictable society. Meanwhile, America wonders how a young male with obvious mental health concerns managed to bring the nation to the brink of yet another assassination tragedy.
