Emails Uncover Dual Lives: Thomas Crooks, a Future Engineer and a Would-be Assailant

In the early months of 2024, Thomas Matthew Crooks juggled his aspirations of progressing in academia with sinister plans.

At the age of 20, Crooks was deep into transferring from community college to a prestigious engineering program while simultaneously orchestrating a violent plot against then-presidential candidate Donald Trump during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.

His college applications were nearly complete, yet he was also involved in the creation of a bomb. Using his academic email, Crooks ordered over two gallons of nitromethane from an online vendor for specialty fuels.

When his order faced a delay, Crooks was proactive, emailing Hyperfuels on January 31, 2024, to inquire about the shipment status.

Academic Endeavors and Alarming Ambitions

Rumors about the rationale behind targeting Trump circulated widely, but newly uncovered emails give insight into Crooks' divided ambitions: a promising future in engineering juxtaposed with a destructive scheme.

Crooks was a driven student. He aimed to save on tuition by initially attending a community college, achieving a SAT score of 1530. His emails indicate a diligent focus on academics, with sporadic dips into more personal matters.

In an attempt to complete an assignment, Crooks lamented the scarcity of acquaintances older than his immediate family.

He expressed his affection for autumn in a colorful essay, highlighting his love for football, fall holidays, and the changing leaves, penned right before reaching out to Hyperfuels.

Despite his meticulous nature, Crooks insisted on correcting a math error to maintain his grades, revealing a consistent pursuit of academic excellence.

His professors regularly praised his dedication. He especially impressed them with a notable project: a tactile chessboard designed for the visually impaired.

Critical of Government and Corporations

While Crooks focused on engineering, his writings showed traces of mistrust towards governmental and corporate realms. He argued that NASA officials, in their pursuit to fulfill unrealistic promises to Congress, mishandled the Challenger disaster.

Analyzing George Orwell’s 'Shooting an Elephant' led Crooks to call it a strong critique of oppressive empires, drawing parallels with modern-day governance.

Crooks also cautiously addressed Trump and Biden's policies in his essays, questioning Trump’s nuclear decisions and analyzing Biden's education stance.

However, his writing was often marred by spelling and grammatical errors despite his strong logical reasoning.

Investigation Post-Mortem

According to the FBI, Crooks had researched materials related to bomb-making, although he did not use explosives in his attempted attack. His purchase of nitromethane was traced through encrypted emails.

America First Legal, led by Stephen Miller, obtained Crooks' academic records, which revealed an ongoing federal investigation spearheaded by a yet-unknown grand jury while Crooks, the principal suspect, had already died.

Lawyer Wally Zimolong revealed these findings, hinting at further inquiries into other potential targets of investigation.

A Tragic Intersection of Promise and Violence

Graham Kates from CBS News examines cases intertwined with personal privacy and informational security. He welcomes tips via email.