"Trump Shooting Suspect Failed to Join Shooting Team... Was Bullied, Say Classmates"

Trump Shooting Suspect Thomas Matthew Crooks
Former Classmates Offer Conflicting Evaluations
"Ordinary Student" vs "Loner"

There have been various statements regarding the past tendencies of Thomas Matthew Crooks (20, deceased), the gunman who fired at former President Donald Trump. While some claim he was an ordinary student, others recalled that he was often bullied and described him as a 'loner'.

On the 14th (local time), Jameson Myers, a former classmate who graduated from Bethel Park High School in Pennsylvania with Crooks, said in an interview with CBS News, "He was a good kid who never spoke badly to anyone," adding, "I never thought he was capable of doing something like that."

Myers, who was close to Crooks in elementary school but drifted apart in high school, added, "When I used to talk to him, he didn’t seem particularly popular, but he also didn’t seem to be bullied; he seemed like an ordinary boy." He also revealed that Crooks tried to join the school shooting team in his freshman year but failed and never applied again until graduation.

A photo from 2021 of Thomas Matthew Crooks (deceased), who attempted to assassinate former President Donald Trump during a campaign event in Pennsylvania, USA, on the 13th (local time), taken during his time at Bethel Park High School. [Image source=AP Yonhap News]

However, some classmates made contrasting claims. Jason Kohler, a former classmate, recalled in an interview with KDKA that Crooks was constantly bullied because of his appearance and sometimes appeared in the classroom wearing military or hunting clothes. Kohler said Crooks often sat alone in the cafeteria until classes started, and even after the mask mandate was lifted during the COVID-19 pandemic, he continued to wear a medical mask for a long time.

Another graduate interviewed by NBC News said, "He was bullied almost every day. He sat alone at lunch. He was an outcast." The graduate added, "He was really bullied a lot in high school. They mocked his clothing and appearance," and said, "It’s a bit sad. I don’t want to say this was the cause, but you can never know."

On the 13th (local time), former President Trump, who was shot during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, USA, is seen raising his fist above his head as he steps down from the stage.
[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

The conservative-leaning tabloid, the New York Post, also introduced a classmate’s statement that Crooks failed to join the school shooting team in his freshman year not only due to lack of skill but also because he made inappropriate jokes related to firearms. Jameson Murphy, a classmate interviewed by the outlet, said, "He tried out but shot so poorly it was ridiculous, so he didn’t make the team and quit after the first day."

Earlier, on the afternoon of the 13th, former President Trump was urgently transported to a hospital after being shot in the upper part of his right ear while campaigning on an outdoor stage set up in Butler, Pennsylvania. He received treatment at the hospital and was discharged. Subsequently, the FBI announced that the shooting suspect was Crooks, a resident of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania. Crooks fired at former President Trump with a semi-automatic rifle and was shot dead at the scene.