The father of Thomas Matthew Crooks — the man who attempted to assassinate Donald Trump — was once singled out by Trump’s 2016 campaign as part of their voter outreach, and a neighbor says the family had pro-Trump signs displayed in their yard until not long ago.
Matthew Brian Crooks, 53, had legally purchased the AR-15 rifle used by his son in the weekend attack at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. As reported by the UK’s Channel 4 News, internal campaign data had flagged him as a potentially persuadable voter in a key battleground state, especially receptive to messages promoting gun rights.
This data came from a vast Trump campaign database that profiled around 6.7 million people in Pennsylvania—roughly half the state’s residents—to target them with tailored pro-Second Amendment content during the 2016 presidential race.
Thomas Matthew Crooks’ father, a registered Libertarian, was flagged by Trump’s 2016 campaign as a strong Republican, likely gun owner, and hunter—ranking among the top 20 in Bethel Park. His mother, a registered Democrat, was also marked as receptive to pro-gun messaging.
Crooks, 20, lived with his parents in the Pittsburgh suburbs and opened fire at Trump’s Butler rally on Saturday, grazing Trump’s ear, killing a firefighter, and injuring two others.
Here’s what’s main on the assassination attempt against Donald Trump:
◦ Thomas Crooks reportedly visited a gun range dozens of times — even on Christmas — in what appears to be intense prep for the attack.
◦ Texts reveal authorities had Crooks on their radar over 90 minutes before the shooting.
◦ The FBI plans to interview Trump as a victim in the investigation.
◦ A former Trump doctor disputes FBI Director Wray, insisting there’s clear evidence Trump was hit by a bullet.
◦ Trump defended a female Secret Service agent criticized after the incident, calling her “so brave.”