Thomas Crooks, the individual who attempted to assassinate President Donald Trump during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania on July 13, 2024, had a complex and disturbing online presence that has come to light. Sources revealed to The Post that Crooks, who used they/them pronouns, had shared threats of political violence and violent art on his secret social media accounts prior to the attempted assassination. The attack left Trump with a grazed ear, claimed the life of a firefighter, Corey Comperatore, and critically injured two other Trump supporters, David Dutch and James Copenhaver.
In a report by The Post's Miranda Devine, it was uncovered that Crooks had a "muscle mommy" fetish, as indicated by his repeated searches for videos featuring female bodybuilders and muscular women. Further digging into his online activity revealed that he had possible accounts on DeviantArt, a platform known for hosting fan art and a community of furries. One of the DeviantArt accounts linked to Crooks depicted a repost of a muscular female bodybuilder alongside a slight man in his underwear. His digital footprint suggesting an increasing obsession with violence and radicalism appeared to have escalated during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Despite using the pronouns They/Them on his DeviantArt profile, it remains uncertain if Crooks identified as transgender. His online activities dated back nearly a decade before the attempted assassination and showcased a troubling evolution towards violent tendencies and extremist viewpoints. Initially pro-Trump in his early online presence while in high school, Crooks later expressed violently antisemitic and racist sentiments toward Hispanic immigrants.
Crooks made disturbing comments on various platforms, including YouTube, where he advocated for violence against political opponents and made violent threats against Democratic members of "The Squad." Over time, his views on Trump took a drastic turn, with him criticizing the then-president's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and expressing disillusionment with his leadership.
The shift in his views seemed to coincide with a surge in violent artworks that he posted, depicting graphic scenes of violence and death. Crooks’ internet activity also revealed a keen interest in infamous assassinations and acts of violence, with searches related to firearms, explosives, and tactics for fighting against the government using terrorism-style approaches.
The revelations about Crooks' online behavior sparked controversy and raised questions about the FBI’s handling of his case. Political commentator Tucker Carlson criticized the bureau for allegedly downplaying the extent of Crooks' digital footprint and the threats he had made online. He accused the FBI of withholding crucial information about Crooks and security failures, prompting a response from FBI Director Kash Patel, who defended the thoroughness of the investigation.
Amid conflicting narratives and accusations, the intricate web of Crooks' online presence, ideologies, and violent inclinations presents a chilling portrait of a troubled individual whose descent into extremism culminated in a violent act with far-reaching consequences. The case underscores the challenges of monitoring and addressing radicalization in the digital age, where individuals can easily access and spread extremist ideologies with potentially devastating outcomes.
