Thomas Matthew Crooks: Shooter at Trump rally was 'quiet', 'lonely', and 'bullied' during school years: Report

Thomas Matthew Crooks, a 20-year-old man from Pennsylvania, has been identified as the suspected shooter who attempted to assassinate former US president Donald Trump during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, over the weekend.

Secret Service snipers killed Crooks on Sunday after he fired multiple shots at the rally from a nearby rooftop.

Former classmates of Crooks described him as a "quiet" and "socially reserved" student who often seemed "lonely," as per a report in ABC News.

A classmate of the shooter described him as appearing "socially reserved" and someone who "didn't have a ton of friends," but there were no recollections of him discussing politics or Trump.



He was being bullied for his appearance and clothing choices, such as wearing hunting outfits, the ABC News report said.

Investigators found a "suspicious device" in Crooks' car, which is being analyzed by bomb technicians. The gun used in the shooting was an AR-style semiautomatic rifle, purchased legally, possibly by Crooks' father.

Kevin Rojek, special agent in charge of the FBI's Pittsburgh field office said that there were no indications of mental health issues or military affiliations. The incident is being investigated as an assassination attempt and a potential act of domestic terrorism.

The FBI believes that the shooter acted alone, and officials have not identified any specific ideology associated with him. While Crooks was a registered Republican, he had previously donated to a Democratic-aligned progressive political action committee.