--- title: "Trump shooter had no military ties, was not a veteran" description: "Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, who was killed after firing at the former president, had no military background, the Pentagon confirmed." date: "2024-07-14" modified: "2024-07-14" authors: - name: "Nicholas Slayton" job_title: "Contributing Editor" link: "https://taskandpurpose.com/authors/nicholas-slayton/" url: "https://taskandpurpose.com/news/trump-shooter-not-veteran/" categories: - "Analysis" - "News" tags: - "adsafety" - "donald trump" --- # Trump shooter had no military ties, was not a veteran ![Secret service agents cover former president Donald Trump during a campaign rally for former President Donald Trump at Butler Farm Show Inc. on Saturday, July 13, 2024 in Butler, Pa. Trump ducked and was taken offstage after loud noises were heard after he began speaking. (Photo by Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images)]() *Secret service agents cover former president Donald Trump during a campaign rally for former President Donald Trump at Butler Farm Show Inc. on Saturday, July 13, 2024 in Butler, Pa. Trump ducked and was taken offstage after loud noises were heard after he began speaking. (Photo by Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images) The Washington Post* The man suspected of firing on former President Donald Trump at a Pennsylvania rally yesterday had no ties to the United States military and was not a veteran, the Pentagon confirmed. The FBI identified the suspected shooter as Thomas Matthew Crooks. Crooks, 20, was from Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, about 50 miles south of Butler, where the shooting occurred. “\[...\] We've confirmed with each of the military service branches that there is no military service affiliation for the suspect with that name or date of birth in any branch,” Pentagon Press Secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said in a statement on Sunday, July 14. A bystander killed at the rally was identified as 50-year-old Corey Comperatore, of Sarver, Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro said [Comperatore was a fire chief and a "girl dad."]() Trump suffered an ear injury which he later said was from a bullet. Two other civilians were injured by gunfire, authorities said. [**Subscribe to Task & Purpose Today**]()**. Get the latest military news and culture in your inbox daily.** At 6:15 p.m. Eastern Time on Saturday, July 13, the shooter opened fire from outside a security perimeter around the former president’s campaign rally. Trump was shot in the ear and quickly escorted out by Secret Service agents, after the shooter was confirmed to have been killed. Authorities have released very little other information but several details have been widely reported: - [Crooks had explosives in his car]() and may have had more at his home. Authorities have searched his home and his family is said to be cooperating. - Audio analysis reported by the New York Times found evidence that[ Crook fired eight shots](). The shooter's non-veteran status runs counter to a wide range of early [speculation and conspiracies]() that the specifics of the shooting — a roughly 400-foot shot with a military-style rifle — implied that [the shooter must have had military training](). A false social media post circulated in the hours after the shooting that [the shooter was Ukrainian](). The FBI said that the shooting remains an “active and ongoing investigation.” Authorities have called the shooting an attempted assassination. ## The latest on Task & Purpose - **This** [**41-year-old soldier**]() **graduated Army basic training after a 20 year break** - **The woman who** [**predicted the Tết Offensive**]()**, but was ignored, passes away at 97** - **National Guard soldiers training with** [**‘pocket-sized’ drones**]() - **Army vet receives Bronze Star with valor 20 years later for bravery in** [**Iraq ambush**]() - **2 Civil War soldiers receive** [**Medal of Honor** ]()**for ‘Great Locomotive Chase’** ## Author Nicholas Slayton is a contributing editor for Task & Purpose, covering conflict for over 12 years, from the Arab Spring to the war in Ukraine. His previous reporting can be found on the non-profit Aslan Media, The Atlantic, Al Jazeera, The New Republic, The American Prospect, Architectural Digest, The Daily Beast, and the Los Angeles Downtown News. You can reach him at nicholas@taskandpurpose.com or find him on Twitter @NSlayton and Bluesky at @nslayton.bsky.social. ### Author social links [Twitter]()