Newly released FBI interview documents reviewed by the New York Post provide fresh details about Thomas Matthew Crooks, the 20-year-old gunman who attempted to assassinate then-presidential candidate Donald Trump at a campaign rally in July 2024.
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The documents were provided to Senate judiciary committee chairman Chuck Grassley as part of his ongoing investigation into the July 13, 2024, shooting.
Crooks’ father, Matthew, told investigators that his son had been unusually quiet from childhood. “When Thomas was born he did not scream and he was always quiet from that point on,” he said, according to FBI interview notes.
Matthew said he never developed a strong father-son bond with Crooks and described him as someone who rarely displayed strong emotions, seldom laughed and was difficult to read.
Matthew recalled several incidents from Crooks’ childhood in which he acted out, including damaging a school desk because he was bored and wanted attention.
By middle school, his parents suspected he had ADHD and were concerned about the group of children he was associating with. During his high-school years, Matthew said Crooks became increasingly quiet and reserved and developed difficulties communicating with teachers.
He also recalled that Crooks frequently talked to himself, a behaviour that became more noticeable as he grew older.
Despite his social difficulties, Crooks performed well academically. His father said Crooks put considerable pressure on himself because he feared he might not get into college.
Crooks had expressed interest in several careers but did not appear committed to any of them. At one point, he even considered joining the military and working on nuclear submarines, although his father said he appeared attracted to the idea because he thought it would be “cool”.
Matthew also told investigators that Crooks never appeared to have a romantic interest in women and repeatedly denied being gay when the subject came up.
From target practice to firearms obsession
Crooks became interested in guns as a teenager and began visiting a gun club around the time of the Covid-19 pandemic.
His father initially considered him a poor shot. Matthew told investigators that Crooks was initially unable to hit the paper target and that it took several years of practice before his accuracy improved.
Crooks eventually became a skilled marksman and began experimenting with longer-range shooting. His father recalled him explaining that he wanted to find out how far he could shoot using basic sights.
After purchasing a prism sight, Crooks became increasingly knowledgeable about adjusting and zeroing it, according to his father.
His interest in firearms also extended to modifying and building equipment. Matthew told investigators that his son once attempted to make a Glock 19 using carbon-fibre plastic and household equipment.
Crooks also acquired a 3D printer and built a gaming computer and a security camera using a Raspberry Pi, according to the FBI interview notes.
As Crooks' interest in firearms grew, he began ordering large numbers of parts, tools and other items online, his father told investigators.
He sometimes used the name “Bob Dole” as a delivery name. Matthew said the practice stemmed from Crooks' concerns after his father's bank account was compromised and fraudulent BetMGM charges appeared.
Crooks apparently believed that using an assumed name would make his purchases harder to trace or his accounts harder to hack. His father tried to explain that the transactions would still be connected to the bank account being used, but Crooks continued using pseudonyms.
Matthew also said his son introduced him to privacy tools and used several encrypted email services.
Political views offered no clear motive
The FBI documents also provide conflicting indications about Crooks' political interests, but his father said he did not appear strongly aligned with either major party.
One person interviewed by the FBI described Crooks as interested in history and politics and said he discussed Trump, Joe Biden and other political figures, including Marco Rubio.
Matthew said Crooks identified as a Republican and opposed welfare programmes and what he called “woke” ideology, but did not strongly embrace Republican politics. Instead, he preferred discussing government policy more generally and making fun of politicians.
Crooks was registered as a Republican, although his father believed this was partly because of his own political affiliation. Matthew also told investigators that his son did not believe the 2020 presidential election had been stolen and was shocked by the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot.
Matthew said he was surprised to discover that Crooks had donated $15 to the Progressive Turnout Project, a Democratic organising group, in 2021.
