The United States' increasing, dangerous turn towards political violence reached an all time high — or rather, an incredibly low point for the country — Saturday afternoon with the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump.
Though it is the first attempted assassination of a current or former president since President Ronald Reagan was shot and injured by John Hinckley Jr. — who was released from prison in 2022 — in March 1981, it is an unfortunate addition to a growing list of other incidents of political violence in recent history, including the 2022 attack on former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi's husband Paul Pelosi, the January 6, 2021 insurrection on the Capitol, the 2020 plot to kidnap Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, and the 2017 white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, among others.
The assassination attempt, which took place just minutes into Trump's speech at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, comes at a time of increasing tension and division in the country, especially amid the looming 2024 election this November.
Who is the suspect?
Though a motive or potential political statement has yet to be uncovered or disclosed, the suspect, who was killed by Secret Service shortly after opening fire from a nearby rooftop, was identified as a 20-year-old white male from a nearby Pittsburgh suburb.
Thomas Matthew Crooks was identified as the suspected, deceased shooter, who per CNN used an AR-style weapon, his father's, and explosive material was found in both his car and home. In addition to injuring Trump when a bullet grazed the top of his right ear, a yet-to-be-identified attendee was killed during the shooting, and two other attendees were critically injured.
© GettyWhat do we know about him?
Besides his name, age, and his hometown of Bethel Park, where the median household income is $102,177, little personal information has been disclosed about the suspect.
Public records show that he was a registered Republican in Pennsylvania, however he also donated $15 to the Progressive Turnout Project, a liberal voter turnout group, via Democratic donation platform ActBlue in January 2021, when President Joe Biden was sworn into office.
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It has also been reported that he was wearing a t-shirt from Demolition Ranch, a YouTube channel with 11.6 million subscribers known for its firearms content.
© GettyReactions from his family & neighbors
Overnight, the suspect's Milford Drive home in Bethel Park was swarmed by the police. His family has yet to issue an official statement, however his father Matthew Crooks briefly told CNN he was still trying to figure out "what the hell is going on," and that he would not discuss the matter until after he spoke with law enforcement.
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© GettyIn a statement to KDKA, the Bethel Park School District confirmed that Crooks was a 2022 graduate of Bethel Park High. "The school district wishes to express its sincere wishes for a speedy and full recovery for Mr. Trump and for those in attendance at the Saturday event who may have been physically harmed or emotionally impacted by these tragic events. We offer special condolences to the family of at least one attendee who was killed. Our thoughts and prayers are with you at this difficult time."
They maintained: "Our school district will cooperate fully with the active law enforcement investigation surrounding this case, and as such, we are limited in what we can publicly disclose. Moving forward, we will work closely with law enforcement investigators and share information as appropriate with respect to school district policies, the active investigation, and law enforcement protocols."
