Unclear Reasons Behind July 13 Attack on Trump as Investigation Deepens
The gunman behind the July 13 assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump, Thomas Crooks, remains a mystery. Despite his actions that led to Trump being injured and a spectator killed, law enforcement has not uncovered clear ideological motivations.
Crooks, a 20-year-old with a history of introversion and computer skills, fired shots at Trump during an outdoor rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. After being flagged by law enforcement as suspicious, he was found on the roof of a building near the rally site. Crooks, armed with an AR-15-style rifle, wounded Trump in the ear, killed one person, and injured two others before being shot dead by Secret Service agents.
Investigations into Crooks’ motives have revealed that he had searched for images of both Trump and President Joe Biden, and was curious about the dates of Trump’s rallies and Democratic events. Additionally, he had looked up information on “major depressive disorder” shortly before the shooting. Despite these clues, his reasons for targeting Trump are still unclear.
Crooks, who graduated with an engineering degree and had aspirations of continuing his education, was known as a quiet individual with no prior violent history. His personal and political background, including a divided family with conflicting political views, has also failed to provide clear insights into his actions.
The shooting comes amid a rise in political violence in the U.S., though the gunman’s ideology, if any, remains a subject of intense investigation.
