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The shooter in the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump has been identified by the FBI as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks.
Authorities had earlier “tentatively” identified the gunman but were waiting on forensic testing to confirm.
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Shortly after 3.30pm Sunday AEST, the FBI named Crooks as the gunman involved in the assassination attempt.
The US Secret Service confirmed Crooks, who fired multiple shots at the campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, was killed at the event.
“The FBI has identified Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, as the subject involved in the assassination attempt of former President Donald Trump on July 13, in Butler, Pennsylvania,” it said in a statement.
“This remains an active and ongoing investigation.”
Special agent in charge of the FBI’s Pittsburgh field office Kevin Rojek said authorities had not yet identified a motive.
Rojek added that Crooks didn’t have any identification on his body, so agents had to “run his DNA and get biometric confirmation” to confirm his identity.
Crooks and one member of the audience were killed in the incident. Two other rally-goers were seriously injured.
According to NBC, Pennsylvania voter records listed a Thomas Matthew Crooks with the same address and birth date as a registered Republican, though it was not clear from the records when that was put in place.
This year’s presidential election would have been the first he was old enough to vote in.
CNN reports that public records show Crooks previously made a small donation of $15 to a Democratic-aligned political action group called the Progressive Turnout Project in January 2021.
When contacted by CNN on Saturday night, Crooks’ father, Matthew Crooks, told the network he was trying to work out “what the hell is going on”. He added that he would “wait until I talk to law enforcement” before offering further comments about his son.
Authorities earlier said it was too early to say whether the shooter acted alone.
“I think it’s too early to say … we have one shooter tentatively identified, but we’re not stopping there,” Rojek said.
“We’re following up on a lot of information.
“It will be some time until we can conclusively say or answer (whether it was a lone wolf attack).”
Police have also identified the members of the crowd who were also shot, and are in the process of notifying family members.
Trump said in a statement he felt a bullet “ripping through the skin” in the suspected assassination attempt.
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Trump posted the statement to his social media platform Truth Social.
“I want to thank The United States Secret Service, and all of Law Enforcement, for their rapid response on the shooting that just took place in Butler, Pennsylvania.
“Most importantly, I want to extend my condolences to the family of the person at the Rally who was killed, and also to the family of another person that was badly injured.
“It is incredible that such an act can take place in our Country. Nothing is known at this time about the shooter, who is now dead.
“I was shot with a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear. I knew immediately that something was wrong in that I heard a whizzing sound, shots, and immediately felt the bullet ripping through the skin.
“Much bleeding took place, so I realised then what was happening. GOD BLESS AMERICA!”
Several hours later, Trump sent an email to his supporters, writing: “This is a message from Donald Trump. I will never surrender.”
The email was accompanied by a portrait of Trump and his signature.
He was filmed by his campaign’s Deputy Director of Communications Margo Martin disembarking a jet in New Jersey.
His ear wasn’t visible in the footage, and he gave only a brief wave as he descended a flight of stairs.
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