Thomas Crooks' father sold his son the AR-15 he used to shoot at former President Trump
Trump shooter’s father seen in public
Matthew Crooks, father of would-be assassin Thomas Crooks, was seen in public for the first time since his son opened fire at the former president’s rally in Pennsylvania. (Derek Shook for Fox News Digital)
BETHEL PARK, Pa. — FBI Director Christopher Wray revealed on Wednesday that Thomas Crooks' family had more than a dozen firearms in their Pennsylvania home and that father Matthew Crooks legally sold his son the weapon that the 20-year-old would use in his assassination attempt on former President Trump.
"We located a number of firearms associated with the shooter and his family," Wray told the House Judiciary Committee. "I think it was a total of … 14 in the house."
"The weapon that he used for the attempted assassination was an AR-style rifle that was purchased legally," Wray said. "We believe, based on what we’ve seen, that his father, after purchasing the gun, legally sold the gun to his son."
This revelation came on the same day that Mary Crooks, the mother of the would-be Trump assassin, was pictured outside for the first time since her son opened fire at the rally in Butler.
The gunman's mother, who is blind, was guided by her husband from their blue Toyota Tacoma into their Bethel Park home around 7 p.m. on Wednesday. Matthew Crooks opened her car door for her and held her hand as they entered the house.
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The younger Crooks was a "fairly avid shooting enthusiast," Wray said during Wednesday's testimony.
In addition to the AR-15 and magazines for the rifle, a bulletproof vest and "crude" explosive devices that could be detonated remotely were found in Crooks' car after he was shot dead by a Secret Service sniper, Wray said.
The FBI director said the agency is still searching for a manifesto or other clues that could determine the 20-year-old Crooks' motive for the attack that nearly killed Trump, injured two rallygoers and killed retired volunteer fire chief Corey Comperatore on July 13. He added that the bureau's behavioral analysis unit was assembling a profile of the shooter.
Thomas Matthew Crooks (Handout via AFP)
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The FBI has conducted more than 400 interviews in their investigation of the shooting. Typically, the FBI does not discuss ongoing investigations, but Wray said on Tuesday that "the attempted assassination of the former president was an attack on our democracy" and that he "recognize[d] the congressional and public interest in this case."
The gunman's father told reporters this week that his family was not ready to comment on their son's actions.
Matthew Crooks leaves a supermarket in Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, on July 22, 2024. (Derek Shook for Fox News Digital)
"We're going to release a statement when our legal counsel advises us to do so. Until then, we have no comment," he told Fox News Digital before beginning to load groceries into his vehicle outside a Shop 'n Save near the family's home. "We just want to try to take care of ourselves right now. Please, just give us our space."
Christina Coulter is a U.S. and World reporter for Fox News Digital. Email story tips to
