Summary:
FBI identified the gunman involved in the attack against former US President Donald Trump as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks.
Crooks was killed by Secret Service agents at the scene after the shooting.
The shooting left one rally attendee dead and two others in critical condition.
Trump was injured, writing on social media that he'd been hit by a bullet in the upper part of his ear.
The FBI is urging members of the public to submit any information they have through a tip line or the agency website.
Trump Rally Shooting: FBI Identifies Gunman
Authorities have identified the gunman involved in the attack against former US President Donald Trump on Saturday as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks. Crooks was killed by Secret Service agents at the scene after the shooting.
The FBI named Crooks in a statement early Sunday morning, identifying him as a resident of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania. Crooks fired on Trump while perched on a nearby building rooftop outside the rally's security perimeter, before being killed by the Secret Service, according to law enforcement officials.
Chaos and Aftermath
Witnesses at the rally described a "bloody" and chaotic scene, with people trying to administer first aid to those hit by the gunfire and struggling with the dense crowd. The shooting left one rally attendee dead and two others in critical condition. Trump was injured, writing on social media that he'd been hit by a bullet in the upper part of his ear – though his campaign said he was otherwise fine. Trump flew back to Newark, New Jersey, late Saturday night.
Ongoing Investigation
Now attention turns to the active and ongoing investigation, which involves multiple federal and state bodies. The FBI has urged members of the public to submit any information they have through a tip line or the agency website, including photos or videos of the shooting.
Crooks' Background
Crooks graduated from Bethel Park High School in 2022. He was registered to vote as a Republican. Federal Election Commission records show that a donor listed as Thomas Crooks with the same address gave $15 to a Democratic-aligned political action committee called the Progressive Turnout Project in January 2021.
When reached by CNN late Saturday night, Crooks' father, Matthew Crooks, said he was trying to figure out "what the hell is going on" but would "wait until I talk to law enforcement" before speaking about his son.
Identification Challenges
After being killed at the scene, Crooks didn't have any identification on his body, so agents had to "run his DNA and get biometric confirmation", Kevin Rojek, the special agent in charge of the FBI's Pittsburgh field office, said at a press conference Saturday night before the gunman was named.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
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