In a recent revelation, it has been reported that Thomas Matthew Crooks, the 20-year-old who made a failed attempt on the life of President Donald Trump, had been spiraling into a state of mental instability prior to his assassination attempt.
The report suggests that Crooks, in his deteriorating mental state, had begun to engage in conversations with an imagined entity.
The New York Times, in a detailed report, stated that Crooks had undergone a subtle transformation from a mild-mannered engineering student who criticized political polarization to a determined killer who attempted to construct explosives.
This claim was based on extensive evidence including school assignments, internet activity logs, and interviews with numerous individuals who knew Crooks personally, as well as the investigation surrounding him.
"There was a mysteriousness to Thomas Crookss descent into madness," said Rep. Clay Higgins (R-La.), a member of the Congressional task force that investigated the July 13, 2024, shooting. Higgins, who had traveled to Pennsylvania to probe the assassination attempt, noted that Crooks was "having conversations with someone that wasnt there."
As reported by The New York Times, Crooks had an unblemished record prior to the Trump shooting, with his only transgression being "chewing gum at lunchtime" during his middle school years. The report also highlighted Crooks' academic achievements, including a SAT score of 1530 out of a possible 1600 and multiple semesters on the deans list at Allegheny County Community College, where he was pursuing an engineering degree.
Crooks had plans to transfer to Robert Morris University and had expressed a desire to work in aerospace or robotics.
However, Crooks' father had noticed his son's mental decline in the year leading up to the shooting. After Crooks' graduation in May 2024, his father reported to authorities that he had observed Thomas "talking to himself" and dancing around in his bedroom late at night.
The New York Times report also linked Crooks' behavior to a long family history of mental health and drug issues, citing excerpts from a Pennsylvania State Police report.
Crooks was known to enjoy discussing the economy and cryptocurrency in high school, and during his time at community college, he created a chess board for the visually challenged, including his mother. "He seemed like a really intelligent kid I thought he would be able to do whatever he wanted," said Trish Thompson, Crooks' engineering teacher at the Community College of Allegheny County.
In April 2023, Crooks wrote an essay advocating for ranked-choice voting in American politics, arguing against "divisive and incendiary campaigns which are pulling the country apart." Crooks was quoted by The New York Times as saying, "As we move closer to the 2024 elections we should consider carefully the means by which we elect our officials. We need an election system that promotes kindness and cooperation instead of division and anger."
Around the same period, the FBI reported that Crooks, using an alias, made over 25 firearm-related purchases from online suppliers. He used an encrypted email address to acquire gallons of nitromethane, a fuel additive that can be used to make explosives, and provided his home address for delivery. Crooks also joined a local gun club in the summer of 2023.
In the days leading up to the attack, Crooks' online searches focused on topics such as the distance between Oswald and Kennedy, "major depressive disorder," and "depression crisis." Despite his activities, he continued to work as a dietary aide at Bethel Park Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation Center.
On the night of the shooting, ATF investigators visited Crooks' home in Bethel Park but were "forced to withdraw" after discovering an ammunition can "with a white wire coming out" and a gallon jug labeled "nitromethane" in his closet.
Crooks' parents, who were contacted outside the property, stated that their son enjoyed making things and going to the gun range. His father, however, claimed that he didnt "know anything" else about his own son.
This case serves as a stark reminder of the importance of mental health awareness and the potential dangers of unchecked mental decline. It also underscores the need for a more comprehensive approach to gun control and the regulation of potentially hazardous materials.
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