Recently surfaced video footage spotted by the Daily Mail has shed light on the high school years of Thomas Crooks, the 20-year-old who recently attempted to assassinate former President Donald Trump at a campaign rally near Butler, Pennsylvania. The incident, which occurred three days ago, saw Crooks graze Trump’s ear with a bullet fired from an ‘AR-style’ weapon before he was neutralized by a Secret Service sniper.
In the footage shared with TMZ, Crooks can be seen being harassed by his peers during a lesson at Bethel Park High School. He repeatedly asks a classmate to stop yanking at his trouser leg, saying, “Stop, you’re pulling my leg,” while the person filming laughs. This scene provides a glimpse into the bullying and teasing Crooks faced, which classmates and former school staff say was a common occurrence.
Former classmates described Crooks as a ‘loner’ who had few friends and was often the target of ridicule. Julianna Grooms, a former classmate, told the New York Times, “Kids would always say, ‘Hey, look at the school shooter over there!’ They would tease him about his poor hygiene and body odor. He was an easy target.”
Jim Knapp, Crooks’ guidance counselor, recalled him as a good student who preferred to keep to himself. “He just wanted to stay by himself. He was a very good student. Not once did he ever get in trouble,” Knapp said.
In a more startling revelation, federal campaign finance records show that Crooks was a registered Republican who had previously made a $15 donation to the liberal ActBlue political action committee on January 20, 2021—Biden’s Inauguration Day. This detail adds a complex layer to his profile, contrasting his political affiliations with his recent violent act.
The incident at the rally has left many questioning the factors that led to Crooks’ radicalization and eventual attack on Trump. The new footage and testimonies from his past paint a picture of a troubled youth who struggled with social isolation and bullying, possibly contributing to his later actions.