Revealed: Donald Trump shooter is a 20-year-old registered Republican who donated to Biden - as his father says he is trying to work out 'what the hell is going on'
The gunman who shot Donald Trump last night is a 20-year-old registered Republican who donated to Joe Biden.
Thomas Matthew Crooks was shot dead by a US Secret Service sniper after he opened fire on the former President during a rally in Pennsylvania.
His father, Matthew Crooks, 53, told CNN he was trying to figure out 'what the hell is going on' but would 'wait until I talk to law enforcement' before speaking.
Crooks had fired at least eight bullets from a rooftop just 130 yards from where Trump, 78, was on stage in Butler speaking to thousands of fans at 6.15pm.
Law enforcement sources told CBS News that Crooks, from Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, had been armed with 'an AR-style rifle'.
During the attack, he appeared to be wearing merchandise promoting one of YouTube's most popular channels devoted to firearms - Demolition Ranch - NBC News reported.
Special Agent Kevin Rojek, the FBI officer in charge, said Crooks had been identified using DNA as he was not carrying any ID on him.
State voter records show Crooks was a registered Republican. According to US media, when he was aged 17 he donated $15 to the liberal ActBlue political action committee on January 20, 2021 - Biden's Inauguration Day.
Last night a bomb squad and agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were at an address registered to Crooks as cops stood guard in front of yellow police caution tape.
A member of the crowd was killed in the deadly shooting, while two others who were wounded are in a critical condition. All three are males, according to law enforcement officials.
Trump was left bloodied and hurt during the assassination attempt as he was seen to suddenly grab hold of his ear as loud bangs rang out and whizzed by before he ducked to the floor.
The Secret Service swarmed around the 45th US President as piercing screams were heard from the MAGA crowd.
He then got to his feet with blood pouring down his cheek and raised his fist in the air and defiantly shouted 'fight' while the audience shouted 'USA' as he was dragged off stage and bundled into a vehicle.
Mr Rojek said they had not identified a motive for what he a called 'an assassination attempt on our former president'.
According to Pennsylvania's public court records, Crooks had no criminal history and officials claimed they are still working towards identifying a motive behind the shooting.
Crooks appeared to have graduated in 2022 from Bethel Park High School, and received a $500 'star award' that year from the National Math and Science Initiative, a report from The Tribune-Review in western Pennsylvania.
In an online recording of the 2022 graduation ceremony, he can be seen crossing the stage as the crowd applauds him, before briefly posing with a school official and accepting his diploma.
Secret Service agents could be heard shouting 'the shooter is down' in the ensuing chaos and the gunman was later confirmed dead.
Trump was taken to hospital for treatment before being later released.
Spokesman Steven Cheung said Trump is 'fine' and being checked out at a local medical facility while the former president's eldest son Donald Trump Jr said his father 'is in great spirits'.
Trump flew back to New Jersey ahead of his spending the night at his golf resort in Bedminster.
In a post to his Truth Social network, Trump thanked the Secret Service and other law enforcement 'for their rapid response'.
'I knew immediately that something was wrong in that I heard a whizzing sound, shots, and immediately felt the bullet ripping through the skin,' he said on social media.
'Much bleeding took place, so I realised then what was happening.
'I want to thank The United States Secret Service, and all of law enforcement, for their rapid response,' Trump added.
'Most importantly, I want to extend my condolences to the family of the person at the rally who was killed, and also to the family of another person that was badly injured.
'It is incredible that such an act can take place in our country.
'GOD BLESS AMERICA!'
Rep. Ronny Jackson revealed his nephew was shot during the assassination attempt on Trump.
Jackson, who was Trump and President Barack Obama's White House physician, said he helped his nephew and a friend get a spot in the friends and family section close to the stage at the rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
He told Fox News on Saturday night that his relative was grazed in the neck and bleeding.
'They heard the shots and everybody dropped to the ground and … he was grazed in the neck, a bullet crossed his neck and he was bleeding,' Jackson said on Fox News. 'This is my nephew. They were there. I set them up. They went to the rally.'
Butler County District Attorney Richard Goldinger said he was told by detectives that the gunman was on the roof of a building adjacent to the event, and the shooting 'would have required a rifle' as it 'was several hundred yards' away.
The identity of the dead bystander have not yet been confirmed. An AR-style rifle was recovered at the scene.
In an image that has already gone around the world, Trump was pictured repeatedly pumping his fist with blood dripping from his face while being swarmed by Secret Service agents.
Moments later, he was rushed away to safety.
A stunned witness, named only as Greg, told the BBC he saw the would-be assassin climb onto the top of a building outside the event, and that he was bewildered by the lack of action from agents.
He said: 'I'm thinking to myself, why is Trump still speaking, why have they not pulled him off the stage? The next thing you know, five shots ring out.'
After the gunman opened fire he saw the Secret Service 'blow his head off,' the man said.
President Biden said in a statement that American 'must unite as one nation' in response to the horrific scenes.
'I have been briefed on the shooting at Donald Trump's rally in Pennsylvania. I'm grateful to hear that he's safe and doing well,' the White House said in a statement.
'I'm praying for him and his family and for all those who were at the rally, as we await further information.'
In a press conference later in the evening, Biden described the incident as 'sick', and said there is 'no place in America for this kind of violence.'
'I hope I get to speak to him tonight,' Biden said of his 2024 opponent.
The president delivered his comments from the White House's emergency briefing room in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, which is set up whenever the president travels. He was spending the weekend at his beach home and was at a nearby church when the shooting occurred.
President Biden received an 'initial briefing' from aides after he left church minutes after the shooting and then convened security officials for a more in-depth update.
The Biden campaign said it was pausing all messaging to supporters and working to pull down all of its television ads as quickly as possible, the campaign said.
Mr Trump's campaign and the Republican National Committee said the party's convention in Milwaukee, which is due to start on Monday, will 'proceed' after the shooting.
Vice President Kamala Harris said in a statement that she was also briefed, adding that she and her husband 'are relieved' that Mr Trump was not seriously injured.
'Violence such as this has no place in our nation,' she said. 'We must all condemn this abhorrent act and do our part to ensure that it does not lead to more violence.'
Donald Trump Jr shared a post of his bloodied father with his fist clenched on X, captioned: 'He'll never stop fighting to save America.'
Other well-wishers have already rushed to support Trump with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, former PMs Boris Johnson and Liz Truss, and Reform UK leader Nigel Farage among those reacting to the assassination attempt.
The Prime Minister posted on X, formerly Twitter: 'I am appalled by the shocking scenes at President Trump's rally and we send him and his family our best wishes.
'Political violence in any form has no place in our societies and my thoughts are with all the victims of this attack.'
Mr Johnson said it was 'a miracle that Donald Trump escaped an attempted assassination'.
Writing on X, the former Conservative prime minister added: 'As we give thanks for his safety we are reminded once again of the tragic fragility of democracy in the face of violence and unreason.
'Our thoughts are with the president and the Trump family.'
Mr Farage said: 'Mainstream media have spread a narrative of hatred against my friend Donald Trump.
'I hope they are proud of themselves. Disgusting people.'
Elon Musk, who is the chairman of X, said: 'I fully endorse President Trump and hope for his rapid recovery.'
He then added: 'Last time America had a candidate this tough was Theodore Roosevelt.'
Former Prime Minister Liz Truss struck a similar tone, saying: 'Pray for President Trump. Pray for America.'
The president's predecessor Barack Obama posted: 'There is absolutely no place for political violence in our democracy.
'Although we don't yet know exactly what happened, we should all be relieved that former President Trump wasn't seriously hurt, and use this moment to recommit ourselves to civility and respect in our politics.
'Michelle and I are wishing him a quick recovery.'
A Downing Street spokesperson said: 'We are shocked by the scenes at President Trump's rally in Pennsylvania.
'We condemn all forms of political violence in the strongest terms and we send our best wishes to President Trump and his family at this time.'
A spokesperson for the ATF said agents from the bureau have been deployed to assist with the aftermath of the chaos.
Rep. Dan Meuser, R-Pa., was standing front row at the rally along with Reps. Mike Kelly and GOP Senate candidate Dave McCormick.
Meuser said he heard between eight to 10 shots ring out as screams rippled through the crowd, according to Fox News.
He added that it appeared there were multiple people in the crowd may have been impacted by the bullets and the local district attorney confirmed that at least one person is 'believed to be dead.'
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro condemned the shocking scenes in his state.
'Violence targeted at any political party or political leader is absolutely unacceptable,' Shapiro said on X.
'It has no place in Pennsylvania or the United States. I have been briefed on the situation. @PAStatePolice are on the scene in Butler County and working with our federal and local partners.'
An emergency room doctor at the Trump rally revealed how he performed CPR on a member of the crowd after the attempted assassination.
'I heard the shots. I thought it was firecrackers begin with. Somebody over there was screaming 'he's been shot he's been shot,'' said the man who had blood splattered all over his white USA shirt. 'So I made my way over. I said I'm an emergency department physician. Let me help you.'
'The guy had spun around was jammed between the benches and a head shot here. There's lots of blood and he had brain matter,' he told CBS News.
Comments
Comments
{{formattedShortCount}}
comments