FBI documents reveal Trump shooter practiced 100-yard shot the day before Butler rally

Newly declassified FBI files show Thomas Matthew Crooks rehearsed his shot at a Pennsylvania gun club the day before the July 2024 Trump assassination attempt.

The day before he opened fire on Donald Trump at a Butler, Pennsylvania campaign rally in July 2024, 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks traveled to the Clairton Sportsmen's Club in Clairton, Pennsylvania, to practice shooting at 100 yards — the approximate distance from which he would later fire, according to newly unclassified FBI documents. The FBI's release of these records sheds new light on the degree of premeditation behind the attack, which wounded Trump in the ear and killed one rallygoer while injuring two others on July 13, 2024. Crooks, an engineering student, was shot and killed by Secret Service agents within seconds of opening fire from a rooftop outside the security perimeter. The documents describe Crooks as having developed a growing obsession with firearms and long-range marksmanship in the period leading up to the attack. His visit to the gun club the day prior suggests deliberate preparation, including familiarizing himself with the specific range at which he intended to shoot. The FBI's declassification of these materials follows congressional pressure for greater transparency about what investigators uncovered regarding Crooks's planning and motive. The attack prompted widespread scrutiny of Secret Service protective protocols and led to significant changes in how the agency approaches outdoor campaign event security.

Why it matters

The documents provide the clearest picture yet of how methodically Crooks prepared, raising ongoing questions about whether the attack could have been detected and prevented. The findings remain relevant as investigations into Secret Service security failures continue.

What's next

Further unclassified FBI materials may be released as congressional inquiries into both the attack and Secret Service failures continue.

Key facts

• Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, practiced shooting at 100 yards at Clairton Sportsmen's Club in Clairton, Pennsylvania, the day before the attack
• The assassination attempt occurred on July 13, 2024, at a Trump campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania
• Trump was struck in the ear; one rallygoer was killed and two others were critically injured
• Crooks was shot and killed by Secret Service agents within seconds of opening fire
• He fired from a rooftop just outside the event's security perimeter
• The FBI documents were newly unclassified following congressional pressure for transparency

Bias & framing notes

Only one source was available, limiting independent corroboration. The source's headline uses the phrase 'would-be Trump killer,' which is more charged than neutral reporting convention would call for. The underlying facts — FBI document release, Crooks's range practice — are attributed to official federal law enforcement records, which adds credibility, but the single-outlet nature of the reporting warrants moderate caution.

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