Thomas Matthew Crooks’ assassination attempt against Donald Trump is haunting his family. On Monday, July 22, Crooks’ father, Matthew Brian Crooks, was seen stepping out of a local grocery store and was hounded by reporters and photographers.
“We just want to try to take care of ourselves right now. Please, just give us our space,” he said, according to multiple outlets. “We’re going to release a statement when our legal counsel advises us to do so. Until then, we have no comment.”
Earlier this month, 20-year-old Crooks tried to assassinate Trump, 78, after climbing on top of a nearby building during a campaign rally around Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13. While the Republican nominee spoke to supporters at the event, shots were fired, and several crowd members quickly ducked. Trump was visibly grazed in the ear by a bullet, and he covered it before blood was seen on the right side of his face. Secret Service members promptly assisted Trump and escorted him off stage and into a vehicle.
Crooks’ motives remain unknown. He died at the scene, according to multiple outlets. The Federal Bureau of Investigation is looking into the deceased shooter’s intentions. His political affiliations are also unclear. In early 2021, Crooks reportedly donated $15 to the liberal group Progressive Turnout Project but later that year, he registered to vote as a Republican.
Trump attended the Republican National Committee’s week-long event shortly thereafter, where he wore a bandage over his ear.
On Monday, July 22, Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle was grilled by both Republicans and Democrats during a televised hearing about the lack of security at Trump’s previous rally. Cheatle resigned the following day.
“In light of recent events, it is with a heavy heart that I have made the difficult decision to step down as your Director,” she wrote in an email, according to NBC News. In the message, Cheatle took “full responsibility for the security lapse” at Trump’s rally and pointed out that the “scrutiny over the last week has been intense and will continue to remain as our operational tempo increases.”