A newly discovered video of Thomas Matthew Crooks, the young man behind the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump, offers a starkly normal view of his life before the incident. The video, which emerged almost a year after the July 2024 attack at a Pennsylvania rally, captures Crooks discussing domestic life and aspirations with no hint of the violence he would later commit.
The footage shows an 18-year-old Crooks, looking relaxed in a navy polo shirt and glasses, introducing himself and describing his family life in Bethel Park, Pennsylvania. With a smile, he talks about the joy of cooking with family and his hopes to improve as a public speaker. "My family consists of me, my mom and dad, my older sister, and our cat, Libby – and I don't think there's any better way to spend time with family than cooking meals together," he says in the video.
On July 13, 2024, during a Trump campaign event in Butler, Pennsylvania, Crooks opened fire, grazing Trump's ear and tragically killing Corey Comperatore, a former fire chief and father of two. The rally descended into chaos with Secret Service agents swiftly responding, resulting in Crooks being fatally shot by snipers.
The unexpected violence of the attack contrasted with Crooks' ordinary background. A 2022 graduate of Bethel Park High School, he worked at a local skilled nursing and rehabilitation center, passing background checks and performing his duties without concern, according to his employer. His lack of a criminal history and the absence of any visible warning signs in the video have left investigators puzzled over his motive.
Following the attack, Trump was seen at the rally holding his bleeding ear, dropping to the ground, and then rising to shout "fight, fight, fight" before being escorted to safety. Despite the violent act, Crooks' political affiliation was listed as Republican, though he had donated to a group supporting President Joe Biden in 2020.
The incident, unprecedented in its nature, drew international attention, yet Crooks' life prior to the event seemed unremarkable. His uncle, Mark Crooks, described the family as private and estranged, having little contact with them for years. "The kid is like a stranger to me," Mark told the Daily Mail.
As authorities continue to investigate, the video has raised more questions than answers about how an apparently typical teenager could escalate to such deadly violence. The dichotomy of Crooks' calm demeanor in the video and his drastic actions at the Trump rally remains a chilling reminder of the unpredictability of such incidents.
