Who was Thomas Crooks, the alleged gunman in the Trump shooting?

The suspected gunman in the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump was a registered Republican from Bethel Park who donated money to a politically liberal group before he was old enough to vote.

The FBI identified Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, as the shooter early Sunday. He was killed by the Secret Service just after he fired shots at Trump at an election rally in Butler County on Saturday.

Crooks lived in Bethel Park, a South Hills suburb of more than 33,000 people that is about 50 miles south of the Butler Farm Show grounds where the attempted assassination took place.

Kevin Rojek, FBI special agent in charge in Pittsburgh, said during a news conference early Sunday that investigators had not determined a motive.

Crooks lived on Milford Drive. Part of the street was blocked off by law enforcement Sunday morning. Firefighters, local police and state troopers could be seen milling about the street Sunday morning. Neighbors and members of the news media also could be seen walking around, many trying to get a glimpse of the house where the shooter lived.

The only election Crooks voted in was the general election in November 2022, according to Allegheny County officials. Trump was not on the ballot that year.

Live from Bethel Park: Media and reporters from around the country are gathered near Milford Drive — where Thomas Matthew Crooks, the 20-year-old who attempted to assassinate former President Donald Trump, lived.

Stay tuned for more @TribLIVE pic.twitter.com/l4oEHnhFLf

— Megan Swift (@mgswift7) July 14, 2024

At 17, before Crooks was able to register to vote, he donated $15 to a group called the Progressive Turnout Project, which aims to boost Democratic voter turnout, according to Federal Election Commission reports. He made that donation on Jan. 20, 2021, the same day President Joe Biden was sworn into office.

Crooks graduated from Bethel Park High School in 2022.

He worked as a dietary aide at Bethel Park Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. Marcie Grimm, the facility’s administrator, said in a statement that Crooks had “performed his job without concern and his background check was clean.” She said center officials were cooperating with law enforcement investigators.

“We are shocked and saddened to learn of his involvement,” Grimm said.

Allegheny County Councilman Dan Grzybek, D-Bethel Park, was present at Crooks’ graduation ceremony. Grzybek, a Bethel Park School Board member at the time, said he didn’t know Crooks personally but spoke Sunday morning with two people who did.

Gryzbek said they reported that Crooks was known as a “quieter kid.”

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“He was not someone that people anticipated would do something like this,” Grzybek said. “Everyone I talked to was very surprised.”

He said Crooks was known for being an above average student. In 2022, Crooks received a National Math & Science Initiative Star Award, records show.

Grzybeck lives on the same street as Crooks and said he stopped at the Crooks home during his campaign for county council. Crooks’ mother is a registered Democrat, and his father is a registered Libertarian. Both are licensed professional counselors, according to state records.

Joe Thome lives a block away from the Crooks’ home.

“It’s just unbelievable,” he said.

Thome, 71, a Bethel Park resident for over 50 years, said he didn’t know Crooks or his family. The registered Democrat said he’s not a fan of Trump, but he condemned Saturday’s violence.

“I don’t like the guy, but don’t shoot him,” Thome said.

On Sunday morning, Thome said he walked up his street to see the area where media and reporters from around the country were gathered. He said he noticed “a lot of traffic” in the neighborhood.

“Wow, Bethel Park,” Thome said. “Put it in the history book, I guess.”

On Sunday morning, Megan Matic woke up to police tape in front of her Bethel Park house.

“It’s so close to home — I would never expect (it) to be so close to home with three little kids in the house,” Matic, 33, said. “I’m just in shock.”

The Matic family lives in the same neighborhood as the Crooks family, but she didn’t know the suspected shooter or his family.

“I was not expecting it to be Bethel Park at all,” Matic said. “It’s crazy.”

Matic said she’s a little nervous, as she wants everyone to be safe.

“I want healing for everyone who’s been affected,” she said. “The fact that it’s legitimately in my backyard is scary.”

Megan Matic’s husband, Mladen Matic, said he was watching television Saturday when he learned about the assassination attempt.

“I honestly couldn’t believe that it was happening,” he said.

Mladen Matic, 34, a Trump supporter, said he saw police in the area when he came outside at 7 a.m. Sunday.

“The world’s going nuts,” Mladen Matic said. “I’m still processing what happened.”

He said he hadn’t talked yet with any of his neighbors because it seemed like everyone was staying put inside their homes.

He said he hopes for more security at future political rallies.

Mladen Matic said he plans to vote for Trump in November in what will be his first time voting.

“I didn’t care before, but now I do,” he said. “I just want to make one more vote count.”

Renatta Signorini, Megan Swift and Jonathan D. Silver contributed to this report.