Thomas Matthew Crooks’ father repeatedly changed the combination to his gun safe after noticing his son watching him enter the code, according to newly disclosed federal records.
Despite those precautions, Matthew Crooks opened the safe and gave his son a semiautomatic rifle on July 13, 2024, believing he planned to visit a shooting range.
Hours later, the 20-year-old used the Panther Arms A-15 rifle during an attempted assassination of then-former President Donald Trump at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
The records were reviewed by the New York Post and provided to Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA), who has continued investigating the attack and the government’s response.
Federal agents interviewed Matthew on July 14, one day after the shooting. His account included details about his son’s developing interest in firearms and behavior he witnessed shortly before the attack.
On July 7, Matthew reportedly observed his son through a home surveillance camera while Thomas cleaned a firearm in the family’s garage.
Matthew said Thomas was pacing, moving his arms “up and down,” speaking frantically and making little sense.
He also recalled an “odd” conversation in which Thomas asked whether he would need to undergo a background check to purchase his father’s Glock pistol.
Firearms had reportedly become a frequent topic during the limited conversations between the father and son. Matthew told investigators that Thomas’ interest began during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Matthew initially described his son as a “terrible” shooter who struggled to hit paper targets.
“He could not hit the paper,” an FBI summary of Matthew’s interview stated.
The father estimated that Thomas practiced for four or five years before becoming capable of reliably hitting a paper target. Federal records reportedly described the younger Crooks as developing an interest in long-range shooting.
Matthew said he frequently changed the gun safe combination because Thomas had watched him unlock it. On the morning of the attack, however, Matthew personally retrieved the rifle for his son.
Thomas had reportedly told his father that he intended to visit a shooting range, an explanation that did not initially appear unusual because he had previously gone target shooting.
Matthew later told investigators that his son “had ulterior motives,” which became apparent “the minute he pulled that trigger.”
Crooks traveled to the Butler Farm Show grounds, climbed onto the roof of a building outside the rally’s security perimeter and fired eight rounds toward Trump.
One bullet struck Trump’s right ear. Rally attendee Corey Comperatore was killed, while David Dutch and James Copenhaver were seriously injured.
A Secret Service counter-sniper shot and killed Crooks seconds after he opened fire.
Investigators previously determined that the rifle was legally purchased by Crooks’ father. The FBI said early in its investigation that Crooks appeared to have acted alone and was not known to the bureau before the attack.
Other federal records showed that Crooks used the name “Bob Dole” when purchasing firearm-related products online. Investigators discovered at least 35 digital accounts associated with him, including foreign email addresses, though the FBI said it found no evidence of foreign direction.
Crooks also attempted to produce a Glock-style handgun with a 3D printer, according to the documents.
The day before the rally, Crooks practiced at a shooting range. On the day of the attack, he purchased 50 rounds of ammunition and drove alone to Butler, according to an intelligence briefing obtained by the Associated Press.
Federal investigators recovered explosive devices from Crooks’ vehicle and residence, but the devices were reportedly incapable of detonating as assembled.
Investigators have not publicly identified a definitive motive for the assassination attempt. Crooks was registered as a Republican but had previously made a small donation to a progressive voter-turnout organization.
Matthew told investigators that his son had shown little apparent political interest and had not expressed plans to attack Trump.
