Man who attempted to assassinate Trump was registered as Republican: Report

By Seda Sevencan

ISTANBUL (AA) – The 20-year-old man who attempted to assassinate former US President Donald Trump at a rally reportedly turned out to be registered as a Republican, despite having previously donated to a Democratic group.

Thomas Matthew Crooks, who was killed at the scene of the attack, was found to be registered as a Republican in Pennsylvania’s voter database, according to a CNN report.

Crooks resided in Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, about 35 miles (56 kilometers) south of Butler, where Trump was holding his campaign rally.

Despite his Republican registration, Federal Election Commission records show that a donor named Thomas Crooks with the same address contributed $15 to the Progressive Turnout Project, a Democratic-aligned political action committee, in Jan. 2021.

Matthew Crooks, the attacker’s father, said he would not comment on his son until he spoke with authorities.

Trump was targeted in an assassination attempt during a rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday, just days before he was set to accept the Republican nomination for a third term.

The shooting resulted in the death of one spectator and critically injured two others. The incident is being investigated as a potential assassination attempt.