Agents asked about the Trump rally shooter’s social circle and his alleged dislike of candidates like Trump, Sen. Bernie Sanders and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, he said.
But he described himself as a “dead end” for the office. He said he hadn’t spoken to the shooter in years.
A former classmate remembers that Trump’s shooter questioned him about his candidacy for former president: “he didn’t like politicians”
Thomas Matthew Crooks is believed to be the shooter for the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump in Butler, Pa. , Saturday, July 13, 2024. This photo was reportedly taken on the day of the shooting (obtained via Fox News Digital).
He didn’t hear much from Crooks after a shooting threat at the school that he said came from the killer’s close friends organization.
“They were the type that threatened to shoot up our school, and they did,” he said.
Former US politics classmate who shot Trump talks about conversations with would-be assassin Thomas Crooks
Former Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump is surrounded by U. S. Secret Service agents at a rally on Saturday, July 13, 2024 in Butler, Pennsylvania. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
However, Taormina told Fox News Digital that while rumors were circulating, there was no concrete evidence about who in particular in the organization made the threat.
But I had suspicions. The scammers then disappeared from the scene for several days, he said.
LOOK: Classmate remembers Trump shooter who asked him about his relationship with the former president: ‘He called me stupid’
Jason Kohler, who told reporters this week that Crooks bullied relentlessly at school, said the same thing.
“No, I’ve never heard that,” he responded when asked if Crooks was the threat.
Another classmate, Sarah D’Angelo, told Fox News Digital that she didn’t think he had been worried about the risk: It happened in high school when everyone was in high school.
THOMAS MATTHEW CROOKS RIFLE CONCEALED BEFORE TRUMP RALLY SNIPER ATTACK, SECRET SERVICE SOURCE SAYS
WATCH: Former classmate of possible Trump assassin claims Thomas Matthew Crooks ‘had no political views in the open’
But the former high school math whiz was a killer on Saturday, July 13. Fraudsters climbed a building at Trump’s crusade rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, and opened fire with a semi-automatic rifle, the government said.
It killed Corey Comperatore, 50, a father of two, and seriously injured David Dutch, 57, and James Copenhaver, 74, the government said. He hit the former president in the ear.
Secret Service countersnipers “neutralized” criminals at the scene, the government said. The images show him dead and lying on a rooftop less than 150 meters from where Trump speaks.
A blurry cell phone video shows the point of view of a rally participant, Thomas Matthew Crooks, crawling across a rooftop moments before attempting to assassinate former President Donald Trump. (DJ laughs).
FORMER SECRET SERVICE AGENT WARNS AGENCY ‘EXPANDED’ WITH NEW RESPONSIBILITIES, LABOR SHORTAGES
Taormina said she thought someone in Crooks’ friends organization should have known something about what prompted him to carry out the violent attack.
“Everyone who knew him has noticed something,” he said. “They knew something was going on and I know it’s pretty easy to hide it, but other people are going to tidy up their space before they do something ambitious and drastic. “And no one saw it? And why?”
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A federal investigation into his motives and possible help continues, and the FBI analyzes his laptop and rifle and interviews dozens of witnesses.
Anyone with knowledge of the case is asked to send tips to http://tips. fbi. gov or 1-800-CALL-FBI.