The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has identified Thomas Matthew Crooks as the individual behind the attempted assassination of former US President Donald Trump. The FBI stated that Crooks, 20, was killed by security officials after he opened fire at the 78-year-old Republican presidential candidate during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. The incident left Trump with an injury to his right ear.
In an official statement quoted by NBC and CBS, the FBI said, “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.” Initially, law enforcement officials had tentatively identified the shooter but had not released the information publicly, and the motive remains unknown.
The FBI, leading the investigation, confirmed that the shooting was being treated as “an assassination attempt” against Trump. The former president was quickly escorted off stage with blood on his face following the shooting, which also resulted in the death of a bystander and critical injuries to two others. The incident occurred just as Trump began speaking at his final rally before the Republican National Convention. Following the gunfire, Trump was taken to safety and later said, “I was shot with a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear.”
The attack happened less than four months before the November 5 US presidential election, where Trump is set to face a rematch against Democratic President Joe Biden. The incident, a moment of alarming political violence, has rapidly become a defining image of Trump’s campaign. Images showing a defiant Trump with his fist raised, blood on his right ear, surrounded by Secret Service agents, and the American flag in the background have quickly spread across social media and television.
In his first account of the shooting on his Truth Social site, Trump described the event, saying, “I knew immediately that something was wrong when I heard a whizzing sound, shots, and immediately felt the bullet ripping through the skin.” Trump, who was not seriously injured, is reported to be in good condition. Trump Communications Director Steven Cheung confirmed in a statement that the former President is “fine and is being checked out at a local medical facility.”
