Newly released FBI documents provide insight into what Thomas Crooks’ father told investigators about his son long before the July 13, 2024, assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania. Matthew Crooks described his son as quiet, emotionally difficult to read, and sometimes destructive when he became bored. As Thomas grew older, his interest in firearms deepened significantly. At one point he asked his father whether he would need a background check to purchase his Glock, a question the father later characterized as odd.

Despite these observations, family members told investigators they never saw clear warning signs that suggested Crooks was capable of the violence that followed. On the day of the attack, Crooks opened fire at a Trump rally, wounding the then-candidate in the ear, killing Corey Comperatore, and seriously injuring two others before being killed by a Secret Service counter-sniper. The FBI has previously stated that Crooks carefully planned the assault, yet a definitive motive has remained elusive. The new documents add further details about his background while leaving key questions about his intentions unanswered.