The world is studying extra about Thomas Matthew Crooks — and we have got extra perception from his former friends and even a instructor, who says he was sensible … however notably solitary.
TMZ spoke with a few Crooks’ ex-classmates from Bethel Park Excessive Faculty — 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 vulnerable to violence.
We’re advised Crooks was seen as quiet and holding to himself at school … in addition to throughout lunch, after we’re advised he’d usually sit and eat by himself.
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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 brilliant, having been in AP lessons 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 in class. Whereas some movies have surfaced backing the notion he was picked on, these 2 college students inform us they by no means noticed it.
Additionally of be aware … 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 principally distant … simply getting an opportunity to return to highschool late in 2021, at which level they have been all graduating.
Both 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.
One other attention-grabbing one that make clear Crooks was Xavier Harmon — who was the man’s instructor from 2019 to 2020 on the Metal Middle for Profession and Technical Training 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 data, noting that the child was fairly proficient with pc expertise.
He additionally says he by no means heard Thomas discuss politics at school, nor did he hear something about weapons — regardless that it is clear he did have an curiosity in that outdoors of faculty.
Harmon says he by no means noticed Thomas get bullied, and had no cause to suppose he’d ever do one thing like this. Attributable to his small, slight body, Harmon says he jokingly nicknamed him “Muscles.”
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His classmates and instructor’s reminiscences apart … the very fact is, Crooks did attempt to assassinate Trump this previous weekend — taking pictures at him from a rooftop through the rally in Butler, PA — narrowly lacking him, however killing firefighter Corey Comperatore, who was within the crowd.
In fact, another classmates have painted a special image of Crooks as an boastful know-it-all, and a Trump hater.
It is clear he had various levels of interplay with different college students, and others outdoors of faculty … which explains the disparate descriptions of the then-teenager.
Investigators nonetheless haven’t uncovered Crooks’ motives in trying to take out the previous president.
