Childhood of the Man Who Nearly Assassinated Donald Trump

Thomas Matthew Crooks, the 20-year-old who attempted to shoot former President Donald Trump during a rally, grew up in an unusually quiet and emotionless household. A relative noted that he was raised by a father who kept to himself and maintained a strict, ghost-like presence.

Thomas spent his youth in a peculiar environment characterized by emotional detachment and strict discipline. The last time his family saw him was in March 2019 at their grandfather’s funeral, where he and his sister stood silently next to their parents, almost like statues. His family described him as someone who kept to himself, avoiding contact with relatives for years.

Mark Crooks, Thomas’s first cousin, revealed that Thomas’s father, Matthew Crooks, did everything to keep his family apart from Mark’s side, despite living nearby in Pennsylvania. Thomas lived with his parents and older sister in a small suburb, while he went away to college to study science and engineering. Unknown to many, Thomas was struggling with mental health issues and had been building homemade bombs prior to his attack.

On July 13, 2024, Thomas traveled 50 miles to a Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. Armed with an AR-15, he climbed onto a rooftop and opened fire from about 130 yards away, grazing Trump in the ear and killing a rally attendee, as well as injuring two others. His reckless shooting resulted in the death of a bystander and serious injuries to others.

Mark described how Thomas’s family remained aloof and inaccessible. After the attack, Thomas’s family distanced themselves further, avoiding media inquiries and ignoring relatives. When Mark’s father attempted to reach out to Thomas’s family, he received no response, adding to their secretive behavior.

Following the incident, more details remain scarce about Thomas’s motivations and mental state, and his family continues to stay in seclusion.