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Thomas Matthew Crooks Called Solitary, Highly Intelligent Years Before Shooting
Thomas Matthew Crooks
Quiet, Solitary, Highly Intelligent
… Years Before Shooting
The world is studying extra about Thomas Matthew Crooks — and we have further perception from his former friends and even a trainer, who says he was good … however notably solitary.
TMZ spoke with a few Crooks’ ex-classmates from Bethel Park High School — who have been in his graduating class — and each of them, who requested to not have their names launched, inform us they knew him as a loner, however not one liable to violence.
We’re advised Crooks was seen as quiet and protecting to himself at school … in addition to throughout lunch, once we’re advised he’d typically sit and eat by himself.
FEBRUARY 2020
TMZ.com
These classmates inform us he undoubtedly wasn’t a well-liked child by any means — however that he was well mannered and soft-spoken, to not point out extremely vibrant, having been in AP courses for superior college students.
The one factor neither of those former BPHS classmates can recall witnessing is the reported bullying that Thomas was apparently subjected to whereas at school. While some movies have surfaced backing the notion he was picked on, these 2 college students inform us they by no means noticed it.
Also of notice … we’re advised these college students did not see a lot of Crooks for the higher a part of 2 years — as soon as COVID hit in 2020, they have been largely distant … simply getting an opportunity to return to high school late in 2021, at which level they have been all graduating.
Either method, each college students say they have been shocked to listen to Crooks tried to assassinate Donald Trump, as a result of they by no means noticed any warning indicators.
Another fascinating one who make clear Crooks was Xavier Harmon — who was the man’s trainer from 2019 to 2020 on the Steel Center for Career and Technical Education in Jefferson Hills, PA … one other establishment Crooks attended as a teen.
Mr. Harmon tells TMZ that he by no means noticed any signal of aggression or hostility from his pupil — and whereas he acknowledges he was a little bit of a lone wolf/black sheep … he did not have any enemies to his information, noting that the child was fairly proficient with laptop know-how.
He additionally says he by no means heard Thomas discuss politics at school, nor did he hear something about weapons — despite the fact that it is clear he did have an curiosity in that exterior of faculty.
Harmon says he by no means noticed Thomas get bullied, and had no motive to suppose he’d ever do one thing like this. Due to his small, slight body, Harmon says he jokingly nicknamed him “Muscles.”
7/13/24
TMZ.com
His classmates and trainer’s reminiscences apart … the actual fact is, Crooks did attempt to assassinate Trump this previous weekend — taking pictures at him from a rooftop throughout the rally in Butler, PA — narrowly lacking him, however killing firefighter Corey Comperatore, who was within the crowd.
Of course, another classmates have painted a unique image of Crooks as an smug know-it-all, and a Trump hater.
It’s clear he had various levels of interplay with different college students, and others exterior of faculty … which explains the disparate descriptions of the then-teenager.
Investigators nonetheless haven’t uncovered Crooks’ motives in making an attempt to take out the previous president.