In a shocking incident at a political rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday, July 13, 2024, former U.S. President Donald Trump was targeted in an assassination attempt. Authorities have identified the shooter as 20-year-old Thomas Crooks.
“Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, is the individual involved in the assassination attempt of former President Donald Trump on July 13 in Butler, Pennsylvania,” the Federal Bureau of Investigation confirmed, according to USA Today.
The FBI added, “This remains an active and ongoing investigation, and anyone with information that may assist with the investigation is encouraged to submit photos or videos online.”
During the campaign rally in Butler, Trump, who is the Republican candidate for the upcoming November 5, 2024, presidential election, was shot at, leading Secret Service agents to quickly remove him from the stage and into an SUV. The gunman and a bystander were killed, while two spectators sustained critical injuries.
AFP reported that the Secret Service stated the shooter “fired multiple shots toward the stage from an elevated position outside the rally” before being “neutralized” by agents. Trump recounted the event, saying, “I was shot with a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear. I knew immediately that something was wrong as I heard a whizzing sound, shots, and felt the bullet ripping through the skin. There was much bleeding, so I realized then what was happening.”