Key Highlights
- Thomas Crooks used they/them pronouns and had an obsession with political violence.
- Crooks attempted to assassinate President Trump at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania on July 13, 2024.
- His online activity included threats of violence against Democratic members of “the Squad.”
- Crooks had multiple social media accounts and searched for information related to body armor and high-velocity ammo.
Background on Thomas Crooks
The case of Thomas Crooks, the alleged assassin who attempted to shoot President Donald Trump at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13, 2024, has been closely examined by law enforcement and media outlets. Crooks, who used they/them pronouns, was found to have an extensive history of online activity that included threats of violence and radicalized views.
Online Activity and Obsession with Violence
According to sources shared with The Post, Crooks had multiple social media accounts where he posted violent art and made explicit threats. His online presence revealed a growing obsession with political violence during the COVID-19 pandemic. A trawl of his digital footprint dating back almost a decade before the attack showed an increasing radicalization in his views.
One of Crooks’ DeviantArt accounts shared a post featuring a towering, muscular female bodybuilder and a man in underwear.
His YouTube search history also revealed numerous violent searches related to firearms, explosives, and famous assassinations. In August 2020, he posted about how to fight the government using “terrorism style tactics.”
Threats and Political Rhetoric
Crooks made several threats of violence against Democratic members of “the Squad,” a group of progressive U.S. representatives known for their outspoken support of social justice causes. He also posted violently antisemitic and racist remarks, including the statement, “Everyone of the trump hating democrats deserve to have their he chopped off and put on steaks for the world to see what happens when you f–k with America,” under an MSNBC clip from July 2019.
His early online presence was almost exclusively pro-Trump, while he also made several violently antisemitic and racist remarks. In one YouTube post, he wrote, “I always believed being patriotic was lining up a bunch of socialist Jews (like the ones that booed Trump) and blasting their useless brains out with an AR,” under a clip of Trump being booed during the 2019 World Series in Washington, D.C.
Assassination Attempt and Aftermath
Crooks was killed after his failed assassination attempt on President Trump. The attack took place at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, where Crooks grazed Trump in the ear before killing a beloved firefighter and critically wounding two other Trump supporters. The FBI has not confirmed the details of Crooks’ possible social media accounts but is investigating them as part of their ongoing inquiry into the incident.
The case highlights the complex interplay between online radicalization, political violence, and attempted assassination attempts in contemporary U.S. politics. Law enforcement and security experts are closely analyzing Crooks’ digital footprint to understand his motivations and potential links to other extremist groups or individuals.
