Thomas Matthew Crooks (September 20, 2003 – July 13, 2024) was an American man who attempted to assassinate former U.S. president Donald Trump, who at the time was the presumptive Republican Party nominee for the 2024 presidential election.

Thomas Matthew Crooks was born on September 20, 2003,[2] and grew up in Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, south of Pittsburgh.

[7] He attempted to join the school's rifle club, participating in "preseason", but was such a bad shot he was considered "dangerous", being rejected from the team and asked not to come back.

[2][14][15] He earned an associate degree in engineering science from the Community College of Allegheny County in Pittsburgh, graduating two months before the shooting.

[16][17][18][19] According to the nursing home, which is less than a mile away from where he lived, he had passed a background check and "performed his job without concern".

[18] Prior to the shooting, Crooks searched for images and public appearances of Trump, President Joe Biden, Attorney General Merrick Garland, FBI Director Christopher A. Wray, and Catherine, Princess of Wales,[22][23][24] as well as for information regarding the Republican National Convention[25] and the Democratic National Convention.

[29] Crooks also searched for information on power plants and the attempted assassination of Slovakian prime minister Robert Fico.

He used a number of aliases and encrypted communication accounts to buy firearm supplies and bomb-making material.

[33][10] Hours before the shooting, Crooks's parents had called the police to report him as missing and expressed concern about his wellbeing.

A public statement from FBI deputy director Paul Abbate described Crooks's activity on social networking services as including comments that "appear to reflect antisemitic and anti-immigration themes" and "espouse political violence".