Thomas Matthew Crooks, the man who attempted to assassinate President Donald Trump at a Pennsylvania rally, posted a chilling message on the online gaming platform Steam before carrying out the attack. Crooks wrote, “July 13 will be my premiere, watch as it unfolds,” indicating his plan to carry out the act on that day.
Police discovered the message on Crooks’s laptop, along with searches related to “Trump,” “Biden,” “when is the DNC convention,” and the “July 13 Trump rally.” These findings were reported by Fox News based on a Secret Service and FBI briefing to senators.
Although no clear motive has been established, the authorities did not find evidence suggesting Crooks had a specific ideology. However, they did discover he had a second cellphone with 27 contacts, which are currently being traced by the police. Crooks, a registered Republican who last voted in 2022, had also donated $15 to a progressive group in 2021.
Further investigation revealed that Crooks had ridden his bike around the Trump rally to scout the area and later abandoned it near the building from which he fired shots at Trump. The bike, along with a backpack, shoes, and a shirt, was found by law enforcement.
Hours before the shooting, Crooks’s parents reported him missing to law enforcement, expressing concern for his welfare. It remains unclear whether they had any additional information about his plans.
Multiple investigations are now underway to scrutinize both Crooks’s actions and the response of the Secret Service, which failed to protect Trump and other rally attendees. Despite speculation that the shooting might boost Trump’s polling numbers, no significant change has been observed, though Trump continues to lead over President Joe Biden amid growing calls for Biden to step down.
