Trump Rally Shooting: Shooter Thomas Crooks Was Registered Republican, Reveals State's Voter Records

New Delhi: Thomas Matthew Crooks, the 20-year-old man from Bethel Park in Pennsylvania who was killed for attempting to assassinate former US President Donald Trump during an election rally, was a registered Republican, according to state's voter records.

His identity was confirmed by the FBI. Crooks was eliminated by US Secret Service snipers at the Butler rally. The motive behind his action has not been established yet.

2 Dead, 2 Critical 

A member of the audience was also killed in the shooting while two others were critically injured.

Republican leader Donald Trump, who is running for the presidential race, was addressing a massive crowd of his supporters in Butler on Saturday (local time) when gunfire shots were heard. Soon after gunshots were heard, Trump ducked before he was rushed off-stage by US Secret Service personnel.

The news of the assassination attempt spread across the world like a wildfire, drawing sharp criticism from several world leaders.

Visuals have emerged from the scene of shooting which shows Trump delivering a speech while standing at a podium in Butler just when something hits his ear leaving him bleeding. Soon after chaotic scenes erupted.

Crooks Shot Dead By Secret Service Sniper

Crooks was apparently shot in the head after he tried killing the former US president. Meanwhile, the law enforcement has recovered AR-Style rifle from the site of shooting. 

An eyewitness said he had informed police and Secret Service about a suspicious man on a roof with a rifle but he said he was ignored.

The shooting at Trump's rally is being probed as an attempted assassination of the former president, law enforcement officials said. Soon after the gunshots were fired, the 78-year-old ex-US president was rushed to a hospital where his condition was said to be stable. Several world leaders have condemned the attacked on Trump and wished for his speedy recovery.

Trump was rushed to a hospital for treatment after the attack. He was later discharged. The Former US President boarded a plane to New Jersey from Pennsylvania. He was spotted Deplaning the the plane as he arrived at Newark Airport, just hours after surviving an assassination attempt. 

A video posted by an aide showed him deplaning flanked by U.S. Secret Service agents and heavily armed members of the agency’s counter assault team, an unusually visible show of force by his protective detail. The footage, posted on X, does not reveal his right ear, which was injured in the attack. According to The New York Times, Trump was headed to New Jersey for the night.

Trump has planned to spend the night at his private golf club in nearby Bedminster, New Jersey.

Biden Cuts Short His Trip, Returns to White House

Meanwhile President Joe Biden returned to the White House early Sunday after cutting short a weekend trip to Rehoboth Beach, Delaware.

The White House said he would receive a briefing from Homeland Security and law enforcement officials on the attempted assassination of Trump later in the morning.

Asked if law enforcement did not know the shooter was on the roof until he began firing, Kevin Rojek, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Pittsburgh field office, responded, “that is our assessment at this time.”

“It is surprising” that the shooter was able to get off as many rounds as were fired, Rojek said. He added that “all the details of that will come out later investigation.”

Meanwhile State Police said the Secret Service was responsible for surveying the venue where the rally was held. Asked whether there was anything about the venue that made it particularly difficult to secure, Lt. Col. Bivens deferred to the Secret Service, which was not present at the news conference.

Bivens said he wouldn’t speculate when asked “how close a call” it was for Trump.