The school district attended by Thomas Matthew Crooks, the shooter behind the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump, issued a statement Saturday clarifying any “misconceptions” such as Crooks being bullied or being part of his school’s rifle team.
Bethel Park School District (BPSD) issued an update addressing a previous statement that was issued. In the statement, BPSD clarified “common misconceptions” related to Crooks having “tried out” for the rifle team at Bethel Park High School and having been “dismissed,” and Crooks making “threats of violence,” or having been bullied.
“The school district will occasionally use this space to clarify any common misconceptions that may exist about this incident,” BPSD wrote.
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M. Perdie, J. Knudsen / Breitbart News
It has previously been reported Crooks had “tried out for the rifle team” at his school, and was rejected, according to two of his classmates.
One of Crooks’ former classmates, Jameson Murphy reportedly told the New York Post that Crooks had been a “comically bad shot.”
BPSD, however, noted Crooks “was never a member of the school’s rifle team” and that there was “no record of him trying out,” and that the coach did “not recall meeting him”:
It has been reported that Thomas Crooks was a member of the Bethel Park High School rifle team or tried out for it but was dismissed due to poor performance or because the coach had character concerns. Thomas Crooks was never a member of the school’s rifle team and we have no record of him trying out. The coach does not recall meeting him. However, it is possible that Crooks informally attended a practice, took a shot, and never returned. We don’t have any record of that happening.
BPSD went on to note that there was a “false claim” that Crooks had “once threatened violence against the school” back in 2019.
“That incident was thoroughly investigated and quickly addressed, and the student involved received appropriate discipline,” BPSD wrote. “It had no connection whatsoever to Thomas Crooks.”
The school district continued to address the “painful misconception” Crooks had been “relentlessly bullied in school,” noting that Crooks had “excelled academically” and “regularly attended school”:
There is a painful misconception that Thomas Crooks was relentlessly bullied in school, which may have led to the assassination attempt on former President Trump. The school district maintains detailed records, including academic performance, attendance, disciplinary history, and health records. According to our records, Mr. Crooks excelled academically, regularly attended school, and had no disciplinary incidents, including those related to bullying or threats.
Mr. Crooks was known as a quiet, bright young man who generally got along with his teachers and classmates.
On July 13, Trump was shot by a “bullet that pierced the upper part” of his right ear after Crooks opened fire from the rooftop of a nearby building where he had a direct line of sight of the former president.
As Breitbart News has previously reported, a former classmate of Crooks’ described the shooter as being “passionate” about politics, but hating “all” politicians.
Fox News reported senators had been told that Crooks had written on the gaming platform called, “Steam,” that July 13 would be his “premiere, watch as it unfolds.” Investigators also reportedly reviewed Crooks’ laptop and found searches such as, “Trump,” “Biden,” “When is DNC Convention,” and “July 13 Trump rally.”
CNN later reported FBI investigators believed that the Steam account was fake.
