Amid Investigation Into Trump Attack Motive, Matthew Crooks' First Pic, Ad Go Viral

The pictures of Thomas Matthew Crooks, who attacked former US President Donald Trump at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania on Sunday before being killed by Secret Service agents, have surfaced online.

The FBI is leading the investigation and probing this as an assassination attempt. Trump was hit with a bullet that pierced the upper part of his right ear. He is now safe and is continuing with his schedule that includes travelling to Milwaukee to attend the Republican National Convention, which would formally nominate him as the party's presidential nominee against incumbent Joe Biden.

"The shooter may be deceased, but the investigation is very much ongoing. And, because of that, we are limited in what we say at this point," FBI Director Christopher Wray said.

It has now come to light that Crooks had featured in a 2023 BlackRock Ad. However, the company has withdrawn the commercial and condemned the incident. "The assassination attempt on former President Trump is abhorrent. We're thankful former President Trump wasn't seriously injured, and thinking about all the innocent bystanders and victims of this awful act, especially the person who was killed," the company stated.

Both of Crooks' parents worked as social workers, according to state license records. His father is registered to vote as a Libertarian and his mother is registered as a Democrat, state voter records show.

So far, investigators haven't found any evidence on social media or other writings by Crooks that might help identify his motive for the attempted assassination, law enforcement officials say.

Former classmates and neighbors described Crooks as a quiet and somewhat misfit student at Bethel Park High School, where he graduated in 2022. Public records indicate divergent political leanings, with Crooks registering as a Republican but donating to a Democratic-leaning group.

Classmates like Jason Kohler and Sarah D'Angelo recalled him as a bullied loner with no clear political or violent tendencies, often appearing expressionless and isolated. Crooks' pandemic-interrupted high school experience added to his reclusive nature, leading one unnamed classmate to remember him as a smart, shy student with a retro nerd vibe, surrounded by conservative friends. The revelation of his involvement in the Trump rally shooting stunned those who knew him, as they never imagined such a bold act from someone so reserved.

Crooks lived in Bethel Park, a Pittsburgh suburb, about an hour from the Trump rally where he allegedly fired at the former president. His high school peers noticed he was not part of any clique and often targeted by bullies, contributing to his solitary demeanor. Despite his quietness, Crooks' intelligence was recognized, as he took honors classes. The shock among his former classmates upon learning about his actions at the rally highlights the contrast between his reserved high school persona and the boldness of the alleged act.