Key facts
- Thomas Crooks used the pseudonym "Bob Dole" to order packages before attempting to assassinate Donald Trump.
- Packages delivered to Crooks' parents' home contained rifle modification parts.
- Crooks' father told the FBI his son adopted the pseudonym after his bank account was hacked.
- The motive for the assassination attempt remains unclear.
- Crooks was shot and killed by Secret Service agents at a Trump rally in July 2024.
New federal records have revealed that Thomas Crooks, the individual who attempted to assassinate President Donald Trump in July 2024, used the pseudonym "Bob Dole" for his online purchases. The packages, which were delivered to his parents' home, contained parts and tools intended to increase the capacity of the rifle used in the attack. Crooks' father, Matthew Crooks, told the FBI that his son began using the alias after his own bank account was hacked, and he instructed his father on using privacy tools like VPNs and secure browsers.
Despite his father's assertion that Thomas Crooks did not show significant political interest, an ATF interviewee stated Crooks was a "big history buff" interested in politics and spoke about "Trump and Biden." The motive behind the assassination attempt remains a mystery. Crooks, 20, was shot and killed by Secret Service agents during the rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, after opening fire. His body was later cremated, paid for by an anonymous donor, according to federal documents viewed by Fox News Digital. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley obtained the FBI documents as part of his investigation into the assassination attempt.