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EXCLUSIVE: BETHEL PARK, Pa. – A former classmate of attempted assassin Thomas Matthew Crooks says the 20-year-old gunman once mocked his support for former President Donald Trump and held contempt for mainstream politicians in general.
“I brought up the fact that I'm Hispanic and, you know, I support Trump, and he said, 'You're Hispanic, so shouldn't you hate Trump?'” Vincent Taormina told Fox News Digital on Tuesday. “No. He's a great man. He's been a great president. And he called me stupid, or insinuated that I was stupid.”
It happened, he said, during a discussion in English class during the 2016 election campaign, when Trump, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Sen. Bernie Sanders were all still campaigning.
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Pennsylvania resident Vincent Taormina described his past encounter with Trump rally shooter Thomas Matthew Crooks during an interview on Tuesday, July 16, 2024. Just days before, a former classmate of Taormina's had opened fire on former President Donald Trump, killing one bystander and critically wounding two others. (Michael Lewis/Fox News Digital)
“He didn't like our politicians, especially that we had a choice,” Taormina said. “He didn't like our politicians.”
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According to Taormina, Crookes was generally quiet, except on certain subjects that he seemed to be passionate about, such as mathematics and politics, and on those subjects he could become “vain”. [and] “Arrogant,” he added.
“He hated our politicians.”
“He spoke and acted as if he knew everything, especially when it came to politics, and he said it in a tone that was almost like, 'I'm better than you,'” he said.
He also denied reports that Crooks was a complete loner: He said that while Crooks had a group of friends, they were small and concerning.
An undated file photo of Thomas Matthew Crooks in his yearbook. Crooks is the alleged gunman behind the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday, July 13, 2024. (Obtained by Fox News Digital)
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“They were definitely the type of people who would threaten to shoot up our school,” he said.
He and other classmates suspected that Crooks himself was behind the threats, though he said they had no hard evidence, but after the threats arrived, the would-be assassin didn't return to school for several days.
Authorities said Crooks, 20, killed 50-year-old father-of-two Corey Comperatore and severely injured David Duch, 57, and James Copenhaver, 74. Crooks struck the former president in the right ear.
Republican presidential candidate and former president Donald Trump sustains a gunshot wound and is hurried off the stage by U.S. Secret Service agents during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania on July 13, 2024. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
Authorities said a Secret Service counter-sniper “neutralized” Crooks at the scene, and images showed him dead on a rooftop less than 150 yards from where Trump was speaking.
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Taormina said Crooks' attitude changed after the rumors started spreading: He became quieter and stopped confronting people about politics.
But he had enough friends that someone must have noticed the warning signs, Taormina argued.
An undated file photo of Thomas Matthew Crooks, the alleged gunman behind the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday, July 13, 2024. (Obtained by Fox News Digital)
“Anyone who knew him should have noticed something,” he said. “They should have realized something was going on. I know it's easy to hide, but people will clean up their act before doing something bold and drastic. Did nobody notice it? Why?”
Authorities say Crooks has no criminal history and no record of mental illness. The murder weapon was legally purchased by his father in 2013.
The federal investigation into his motives and potential collaborators is ongoing, with the FBI analyzing his laptop, cellphone and rifle and interviewing dozens of witnesses.
A file photo of Thomas Matthew Crooks, a 2022 graduate of Bethel Park High School. Crooks is the alleged gunman behind the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday, July 13, 2024. (Obtained by Fox News Digital)
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A search of the suspect's home and vehicle concluded Sunday night. The FBI also said it had interviewed about 100 witnesses, including law enforcement officials, by Monday afternoon.
Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact http://tips.fbi.gov or 1-800-CALL-FBI.