EXCLUSIVEFather of Trump shooter Thomas Matthew Crooks breaks cover for the first time since terrifying assassination attempt
Seen for the first time since his son attempted to assassinate Trump, Matthew Crooks was pictured at the family home in Bethel Park, Pennsylvania as federal investigators visited Monday morning.
Clearly exhausted, his eyes showing the strain and the trauma of the past few days, Crooks opened the door to several members of the FBI who entered the unassuming brick home shortly before ten o’clock.
It was barely 48 hours since the Crooks family’s world was torn apart with the shocking events of Saturday afternoon when son Thomas Matthew, 20, opened fire on the former president as he addressed a rally of supporters in Butler, Pennsylvania.
Speaking to CNN in the immediate aftermath of his son’s identification, Matthew, 53, who works as a licensed behavioral therapist specializing in rehabilitation, appeared completely at a loss as he struggled to make sense of what he had just been told.
Reached by the network late Saturday night Crooks Sr. said he was still trying to figure out ‘what the hell is going on', but said he would ‘wait until I talk to law enforcement’ before speaking about his son.
Cleary exhausted, his eyes showing the strain and the trauma of the past few days, Matthew Crooks opened the door to several members of the FBI who entered the unassuming brick home shortly before 10am
Speaking to CNN in the immediate aftermath of his son’s identification, Crooks Sr. said he was still trying to figure out ‘what the hell is going on'
It was barely 48 hours since the Crooks family’s world was torn apartthat law enforcement turned up at the Crooks family home in Bethel Park, Pennsylvania
He and the rest of the shooter’s immediate family have not spoken publicly since. Crooks’s mother, Mary Elizabeth, 53, is also a behavioral therapist.
Crooks is believed to have used an AR-15 purchased by his father some six months earlier and both men are understood to have been members of Clairton Sportsmen’s Club in Clairton, Pennsylvania.
Thomas Crooks, 20, opened fire on the former president as he addressed a rally of supporters in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday
When approached by DailyMail.com club president Bill Sellitto, 77, was clearly emotional and deeply distressed at his establishment’s association with an act that he described as ‘appalling'.
‘This isn’t us,' he said. 'We are a community. We are having a youth day very soon, more than 100 kids. Members of five different police forces train with us, we support them, and they are part of our community.’
The club is set in 180 acres of woodland and has a membership of more than 2,000 and facilities including indoor and outdoor archery ranges, rifle ranges to 200 yards, pistol ranges and dog training areas.
FBI agents visited with the Crooks family for a matter of minutes before proceeding to work their way up and down the neighborhood speaking with residents.
According to a bio by Matthew Crooks when he registered a coat of arms, he was born in Pittsburgh and his father had owned a barber shop while his mother was an accountant.
He writes that he 'attended local universities' before later working in social services as a counselor, before naming his two children Katie and Tom.
Near neighbors were asked to leave their homes as it was reported that explosives and other items were removed from both Crooks's van and his family home.
Crooks had parked the vehicle near the rally site in Butler on Saturday before he scaled the roof of a nearby industrial manufacturing building.
FBI Agents are seen on Monday knocking on all the neighbors' houses around the shooters home in Bethel Park as they interviewed locals
A chance turn of Trump’s head, not the swift response of snipers, is what made the difference between a grazing glance of the bullet Crooks fired and a fatal shot
A chance turn of Trump’s head, not the swift response of nearby snipers, is what made the difference between a grazing glance of the bullet Crooks fired and a fatal shot.
Father of two Corey Comperatore, 55, a volunteer fire chief, has been named as the audience member who died shielding his family from the gunfire.
Two other audience members who were hit, 57-year-old David Dutch and 74-year-old James Copenhaver were both in stable condition.
Crooks was killed by USSS seconds after opening fire on the former president and presumed Republican presidential nominee.
The would-be assassin was a registered Republican and 2022 high school graduate. Records show he donated on the day of the 2020 inauguration to a progressive group backing President Joe Biden.
Bethel Park School District, where Crooks was a student until two years ago, verified his graduation from the high school and is cooperating with investigators.
Disturbing anecdotes have since emerged from those who knew Crooks going back to his days at the school.
Bethel Park police officers talk outside the home of Crooks on Monday morning following the shooting over the weekend
Members of the FBI Evidence Response Team work near the building where Crooks was shot dead by law enforcement
Crooks was a dietary aide at Bethel Park Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation Center - where he provided food and care for post-hospital elderly and sick people.
His employer confirmed on Sunday that he had a clean background check and 'performed his job without concern' before he attempted to kill Trump.
Investigators have found no threatening comments on social media accounts or ideological positions that could help explain what led him to target Trump.
Top Republicans and Democrats have demanded an urgent investigation into the shooting, with suggestions that routine checks would have eliminated all threats.
In a damning statement on Saturday night, FBI Special Agent Kevin Rojek said it was 'surprising' Crooks managed to fire off so many shots.
Crooks was a dietary aide at Bethel Park Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation Center - where he provided food and care for post-hospital elderly and sick people
Footage emerged on Sunday evening showing supporters outside of the security perimeter pointing at Crooks as he bear-crawled on the roof of the building.
'Look, they're all pointing,' the man behind the camera is heard saying as it pans from the stage to the warehouse roof where a figure is seen crawling.
'He's on the roof!' a woman yells 40 seconds into the video as Trump is heard in the background continuing his remarks.
Multiple witnesses have said they warned law enforcement that a man was crawling on the building, but didn't respond before he started shooting.
Following this, Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle said the agency is now implementing changes to Trump's security detail.
Cheatle, who was appointed by President Biden in 2022, expressed confidence in a new plan for this week's Republican National Convention in Milwaukee.
