The Federal Bureau of Investigation has identified 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks as the “subject involved” in the attempted assassination of former US president Donald Trump.
Crooks from Bethel Park, Pennsylvania was registered as a Republican, according to the state’s voter records.
The US Secret Service confirmed that Crooks, who fired multiple shots at the campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, was killed at Saturday’s rally.
Special agent in charge of the FBI’s Pittsburgh field office Kevin Rojek said authorities had not yet identified a motive.
“This evening, we had what we’re calling an assassination attempt against our former president Donald Trump. It’s still an active crime scene,” Rojek said at a press conference.
A rally attendee died and two were critically injured in the incident, the FBI said.
The Federal Aviation Administration said on Sunday the airspace over the Bethel Park was closed “effective immediately” for special security reasons.
A defiant Trump said he is ‘looking forward’ to appearing at the Republican national convention, despite Saturday’s shooting.
A statement from the Trump campaign said the former US president was doing well after the incident and ‘looks forward to joining you all in Milwaukee as we proceed with our convention to nominate him to serve as the 47th President of the United States.”
Trump was spattered with blood when gunfire erupted at his rally on Saturday, sparking panic in the crowd.
He later posted on his Truth Social platform that the bullet pierced the upper part of his right ear.
“I knew immediately that something was wrong in that I heard a whizzing sound, shots, and immediately felt the bullet ripping through the skin,” he said.
“Much bleeding took place, so I realised then what was happening.”
In a statement posted on X, the US Secret Service said the shooter had fired multiple shots toward the stage from an elevated position outside of the rally,” the statement said.
“US Secret Service quickly responded with protective measures and the former president is safe and being evaluated,” according to the agency’s chief of communications, Anthony Guglielmi.
“The incident is currently under investigation and the Secret Service has formally notified the FBI.”
Trump, 78, had just started his speech when the gunfire began.
As the shots rang out, Trump grabbed his right ear with his hand, then dropped to his knees behind the podium before Secret Service agents swarmed and covered him.
He emerged about a minute later, and could be heard saying “wait, wait,” before agents ushered him to a vehicle.
The Republican candidate pumped his fist in the air as he was surrounded by security, and appearing to mouth the words, “Fight! Fight! Fight!”
In a national address after the shooting, US President Joe Biden said “everybody must condemn” the assassination attempt on Trump.
The White House says Biden has spoken to his 2024 presidential rival.
Biden said he was grateful that Trump is reportedly ‘doing well’, and promised to update the public.
“We cannot allow this to be happening,” Biden said. “It’s sick”.
The Biden campaign said it was pausing all messaging to supporters and working to pull down all of its television ads as quickly as possible.
Trump has been released from the hospital and returned to his home in New Jersey.
Ron Moose, a Trump supporter who was in the crowd, described the chaos during the event.
“I heard about four shots and I saw the crowd go down and then Trump ducked also real quick. Then the Secret Service all jumped and protected him as soon as they could. We are talking within a second they were all protecting him.”
The BBC interviewed a man who described himself as an eyewitness, saying he saw a man armed with a rifle crawling up a roof near the event.
The person told the BBC he and the people he was with started pointing at the man, trying to alert security.
Trump is due to receive his party’s formal nomination at the Republican National Convention, which kicks off in Milwaukee on Monday.
The attack was the most serious attempt to assassinate a president or presidential candidate since Ronald Reagan was shot in 1981.
with AP and DPA
