by WorldTribune Staff, September 18, 2026 Non-AI Real World News
Government watchdog group Judicial Watch obtained records from the FBI in a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit revealing that Thomas Matthew Crooks, the gunman who attempted to assassinate then-presidential candidate Donald Trump at a July 2024 campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, purchased “a chest rig and ceramic plates,” exhibited increasingly unusual behavior, including talking to himself, pacing at night, staying awake for extended periods and exhibiting impulsivity issues.
Thomas Crooks
“These records provide important new pieces of the puzzle about Thomas Crooks and his activities before he attempted to assassinate President Trump,” said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton. “The American people deserve to know – in a timely manner – what the FBI knew about Crooks, his activities, his contacts and the circumstances surrounding the assassination attempt.”
In a July 15, 2024, FD-302 FBI interview report, an individual whose name is redacted wrote:
Thomas purchased ammo online, going from website to website until he found a site that would sell to him. Thomas recently bought a chest rig and ceramic plates. Thomas had recently gotten into rapid action range transition shooting where shooters would enter a timed range and switch between weapons while moving.
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As Thomas became older, he started to get more agitated when [Redacted] and [Redacted] asked questions. Thomas talked to himself a lot. After community college he would talk to himself more and more, moving his hands and speaking to himself. This activity kept [Redacted] awake at night as sometimes. Thomas would stay up all night dancing in [redacted]. Thomas seemed to have endless energy.
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Thomas was never diagnosed with any mental health disorders as a child, but did have impulsivity issues.
A July 15, 2024, FBI interview report states that Crooks purchased firearms courses from Keystone Shooting Center online, including a basic carbine course beginning May 25, 2024, a basic handgun course beginning June 13, 2024, and an intermediate handgun course beginning June 22, 2024. The courses were purchased using the email address tmcrooks7@gmail.com.
A July 25, 2024, FBI report states that Crooks was seen with two older men at a firearms store. Employees of Keystone Armory in Edinboro, PA, contacted the FBI about Crooks’ May 2024 visit:
The individual believed to be Crooks was accompanied by a white male believed to be around his mid 30s and another older white male with a gray beard, potentially … the individual’s father. The individual believed to be Crooks and the two other males can be seen wandering throughout the firearms store looking at various firearms. The individual believed to be Crooks subsequently purchased 20 rounds of Red Army 7.62x54R 148 gr FMJ and left shortly thereafter.
The store provided the FBI with a receipt of ammunition purchase, a list of the store’s witnesses of the “person of interest” and “video/photo surveillance from outside and inside the business.”
A July 15, 2024, FBI electronic communication titled “Review of Samsung S136 – Web Browser History Indicated Visits to Mailfence.com” describes a review of Crooks’ Android phone including an examination of his web browser history and his use of Mailfence, an encrypted email service based in Belgium. The communication states: “Review of the web browser history of the device revealed the device accessed mailfence.com multiple times from 15 April 2024 to 8 July 2024.”
In a July 15, 2024, electronic communication, the FBI Counterterrorism unit requested assistance from a foreign government concerning information on the Samsung S136 device belonging to Crooks.
A July 21, 2024, FBI report quotes a former Community College of Allegheny County laboratory classmate who said he “tried to get to know Crooks, told him jokes and invited him to go out.” According to the classmate, Crooks was “very self-isolated and kept to himself.”
Crooks seemed to be very smart, and he clearly had the best grades in the class as he was teaching others. However, Crooks had severe social anxiety and would respond to any kind of small talk or social interaction with an aggressive foot tap. He was shy and did not have any friends. Although he would help other laboratory groups, Crooks did not interact with anyone else in the class. He kept to himself.
