Thomas Matthew Crooks, the suspect who opened fire at former US President Donald Trump’s rally on Saturday, was described as a quiet and non-violent person by his peers, CNN reported. While the geopolitical climate after the Donald Trump rally shooting remains unstable, Crooks’ family is still coming to terms with the incident is and struggling to comprehend the events of Saturday.
Thomas’ father Matthew Crooks, while speaking to CNN over the phone, said that he was trying to figure out “what the hell is going on”. He further said that he would “wait until after talking to the law enforcement” to comment on his son and his actions.
Mark Crooks, the uncle of the shooter, told The Independent that the incident was a major shock to the entire family and they have no idea what might have motivated him to attack Donald Trump at the Pennsylvania rally. “I don’t know what to say,” the 68-year-old said, expressing that he is still trying to process the news.
Mark Crooks, who is a resident of Pennsylvania, said that he hadn’t had any contact with the shooter in years. “I haven’t seen the kid since he was little. He never wanted to bother, so we don’t see him,” he told The Independent.
Both of the shooter’s parents, Matthew and Mary Crooks, are certified behavioral counsellors. Thomas Crooks was 20 years old and this would have been the first presidential election he was eligible to vote in.
Crooks was a misfit in high school, and a quiet and aloof kid with little to no violent tendencies as a teenager, said his former classmates and neighbours when approached by CNN.
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The shooter’s classmates painted the picture of a shy and reserved person who kept to himself, was a misfit in high school and had no inclination towards politics. His classmate said that he was bullied by other students at times, and was a “loner”, which made him “an easy target”.
“I was just, like, shocked — I just couldn’t believe he did something that bold, considering he was such a quiet and kept-to-himself kind of person,” one of his classmates said.
Thomas Matthew Crooks fired multiple rounds from an AR-style gun at a political rally on Saturday, with one of the bullets hitting Donald Trump in the right ear. The firing incident claimed the life of one bystander and critically injured two others.
