Thomas Matthew Crooks, the suspect behind the assassination attempt on former President Trump, has been revealed to have a high intelligence level, scoring over 1500 on his SAT pre-college exam. This information was shared by FBI officials during a meeting with Trump last week. Despite his intelligence, the FBI believes that Crooks may have had an undiagnosed disorder.
The FBI also disclosed that Crooks displayed some unusual behavior, such as swaying back and forth while standing at the bus stop, but he was never diagnosed with any disorder. His motive for the attempted assassination remains unknown, and he was working at an assisted-living center and living with his parents at the time of the attack.
In the lead-up to the attack, Crooks had been searching online for information on both Democratic and Republican politicians, as well as the upcoming Democratic National Convention and “depressive disorder.” During the meeting between Trump and the FBI, the former president was particularly interested in whether there was any foreign connection to Crooks’s attack. While the FBI was able to access foreign email accounts used by Crooks, they found no evidence of outside involvement in the assassination attempt.
The newly released information about Crooks continues to paint a complex picture of the 20-year-old, as investigators struggle to determine what motivated him to open fire on Trump during the rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. Former classmates have described him as a quiet loner who was often bullied and dressed in camouflage or hunting attire. The Trump campaign has not yet commented on the matter.
The case of Thomas Matthew Crooks raises questions about the intersection of intelligence, mental health, and violence. The fact that someone with such a high SAT score could be involved in such a violent act highlights the complexity of human behavior and the challenges of identifying and addressing potential threats. It also underscores the importance of mental health awareness and intervention, especially among young individuals who may be struggling with undiagnosed disorders.
As the investigation into the attempted assassination continues, authorities will likely delve deeper into Crooks’s background, online activities, and interactions to try to piece together the puzzle of what led to the violent attack. In the meantime, the case serves as a reminder of the need for vigilance and proactive measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.
