The latest on the suspected gunman.
Authorities have identified the gunman suspected of trying to assassinate former President Donald Trump at a rally in Pennsylvania. The 20-year-old was killed by Secret Service agents after he opened fire at the Republican candidate from a nearby rooftop, killing one person and wounding two others.
Here’s what we know so far about the suspect, the victims, and the latest on Trump’s condition.
Who was the suspected shooter at the Donald Trump rally?
On Sunday, the FBI identified the gunman as Thomas Matthew Crooks. The 20-year-old was from Bethel Park, a suburb south of Pittsburgh about an hour from Butler, where the rally was held.
Crooks’s political leanings aren’t quite clear: He’s a registered Republican, but according to the Associated Press, in 2021 he donated $15 to a progressive political action committee. He also had no criminal record. The FBI has not identified a motive for the attack; agents are in the process of interviewing Crooks’s friends and family in order to build a profile of the suspect, the New York Times reports.
Law enforcement officials say that an AR-15 style rifle, which was purchased legally by Crooks’s father, was found near his body, per the Times. Bomb-making supplies were also found in Crooks’s car and home, the AP reports. The Secret Service said Crooks fired from “an elevated position” near the venue where the rally was taking place.
His father, Matthew Crooks, told CNN that he was trying to figure out “what the hell is going on,” but would “wait until I talk to law enforcement” before speaking further.
The victims at the Trump rally shooting
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro identified the man killed at the rally as Corey Comperatore, a 50-year-old former firefighter. At a press conference, Shapiro said Comperatore attended the event with his wife and two daughters, and dove over them to protect them as the gunman opened fire.
“Corey died a hero,” Shapiro said. “Corey was the very best of us, may his memory be a blessing.”
Two other people were shot and wounded, according to Pennsylvania State Police. They’ve been identified as David Dutch, 57, and James Copenhaver, 74; both are in stable condition, officials said.
What has Trump said since the assassination attempt?
Hours after the shooting, Trump posted on Truth Social, and said that a bullet “pierced the upper right part of my ear.”
“I knew immediately that something was wrong in that I heard a whizzing sound, shots, and immediately felt the bullet ripping through the skin. Much bleeding took place, so I realized then what was happening,” Trump wrote.
The GOP candidate also thanked the Secret Service and other law enforcement officials “for their rapid response.” Trump has already made it clear that he would still attend the Republican National Convention, where he will be formally nominated. Melania Trump posted a statement of her own, condemning the “monster” who attempted to assassinate her husband and calling for unity.
President Biden addresses the assassination attempt
President Biden on Sunday condemned the violence: “It’s not who we are as a nation. It’s not American. And we cannot allow this to happen.” He said he had a “short but good conversation” with former President Trump on Saturday night.
The president ordered the FBI to conduct a “thorough and swift” investigation, vowing that “investigators will have every resource they need to get this done.” He also directed the head of the Secret Service to review security for the RNC, and said that the independent review will be shared with the public.
Biden also gave a rare address to the nation from the Oval Office at 8 pm ET on Sunday. He reiterated his condemnation of the attack, and called on Americans “to lower the temperature in our politics.”
“Disagreement is inevitable in American democracy,” he said during remarks that lasted about six minutes, adding that politics should never devolve into a “killing field.”
“While we may disagree, we are not enemies,” he continued. “We’re neighbors, we’re friends, co-workers, citizens, and most importantly, we are fellow Americans. We must stand together.”
