Thomas Matthew Crooks, the 20-year-old who attempted to assassinate former US President Donald Trump at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania, made a series of stops to gather ammunition before the attack, CNN reported.
On Friday, a day before the rally, Crooks practiced shooting at a range. The following morning, he visited Home Depot to purchase a five-foot ladder and then bought 50 rounds of ammunition from a gun store. According to sources, Crooks used the ladder to climb a building from which he opened fire on the 78-year-old Republican nominee.
Crooks was shot and killed by Secret Service agents after attacking Trump. Investigators are now working to reconstruct his actions leading up to the attempted assassination, though his motive remains unclear. Despite searching his phone and computer, officials have not found any evidence suggesting a political or ideological reason for the shooting, law enforcement sources told CNN.
Trump sustained a minor injury during the rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday, with the bullet grazing the upper part of his right ear, leaving him with a bloodied face.
Early information about Crooks reveals he was a math whiz who worked an entry-level job near his hometown in Pennsylvania. He graduated from Bethel Park High School in 2022, known as a bright but quiet classmate. His counselor described him as “respectful” and noted that he never seemed political.
