TW: Gun Violence, Blood
Bullets rained down upon a crowd sprinkled with “Make America Great Again” (MAGA) hats from approximately 450 feet away.
On July 13, 2024, Trump supporters gathered for a campaign rally at the Butler Farm Show fairground in Butler, Pennsylvania. Soaring temperatures did not stop thousands of people from coming to hear the former president speak. Unbeknownst to them, the event would end in an act of violence.
CHS senior Jasper Forgey finds the morals of political violence to be complicated. While Forgey finds assassination attempts to be wild and extreme, he can see the political perspective of those who are frustrated.
“People have such strong emotions and reactions,” Forgey said. “That’s real, you know, people really do feel these things. It’s not just a select few people who are feeling nuts enough to go try and kill someone about it. I think lots of people are really, really upset.”
This upset fueled one Pennsylvanian to rain ammunition over the rally.
The shooter, who has been identified as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, positioned himself on the roof of a nearby building, with an AR-style weapon in hand. Crooks’ father had legally purchased the gun, and Crooks himself bought 50 rounds of ammunition the day of the rally.
Former President Donald Trump, along with three others, was struck. Among the three rally-goers shot, Corey Comperatore, a volunteer fire chief, was the only victim killed.
Within 20 seconds of Crooks opening fire, he was shot by Secret Service snipers. Members of the crowd had alerted security of a suspicious individual, but they failed to reach his position before Crooks released his shots.
Crooks was a Pennsylvania native, graduating from the Community College of Allegheny (CCAC) in 2024 with an associate degree in engineering science. He began attending CCAC in 2021, before graduating from Bethel Park High School in 2022 with a $500 prize for math and science. As a previously registered member of the Republican Party, his recent political standings were unclear. A bullet from one registered Republican hit another registered Republican on his upper ear. Trump was rushed by Secret Service agents to vehicles and transported off the premises for immediate medical attention. Seen clutching the side of his head, Trump was conscious as he was led off stage and pumped his fist into the air to the delight of the crowd. President Biden and other political leaders have come out to condemn the attack and perpetuate anti-violence methodologies; however, on Sept. 15, another individual tried to assassinate the former president.
While the former president was golfing at the Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida, gunfire was heard. The Secret Service spotted an AK-47-style weapon sticking out of the bushes alongside the golf course, roughly 400 yards away.
This triggered the suspect to run to his car and lead a police chase on Interstate Highway 95. The suspect had planned the attack and was equipped with tactical gear such as a bulletproof vest. The man in custody was Ryan Wesley Routh, who remained silent as police officers took him into custody.
Routh is known for being a vocal supporter of Ukraine. He visited the region in 2022, during the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and was seen on video calling Russian President Putin a “terrorist.” Routh utilized social media platforms such as Facebook to call foreigners to participate in the Ukrainian defense. Routh is 58 and owns a construction company focused on building affordable housing. His political party affiliations are unclear; however, he has criticized Trump on social media and is a strong supporter of Ukraine.
The federal court managing the Routh case proceedings has ordered that a mental health assessment of Routh be conducted before the trial is held in September, 2025. Crooks did not live to face a trial, though his actions were similar to Routh’s.
Forgey views these assassination attempts as a call for systemic change. While not condoning violence, he thinks the message behind multiple extreme acts deserves acknowledgment.
“Political violence just shows there’s something a little bit wrong with our system and the current political climate,” Forgey said.
Uncertain about what a second presidential term holds for Trump, Forgey is recognizing the outcries of distressed citizens.
