Full Breakdown
Attempted Assassination of Donald Trump at Butler Rally: The Role of Online Pseudonyms
By Drooid · · How we work
The Butler Rally Shooting
On July 13, 2024, former President Donald Trump was grazed in the ear by a rifle shot fired by 20-year-old Thomas Crooks at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. Secret Service snipers killed Crooks moments later.
Online Anonymity Tactics
Crooks maintained at least 35 digital accounts, including foreign-based email addresses in Germany and Belgium, all of which agents accessed. He instructed his parents to use VPN services such as Cyber Ghost and BraveNet, believing these platforms would protect him from hacking. Despite the pseudonym, payments were still tied to the family’s real bank account.
Official Statements & Responses
Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) obtained the FBI documents as part of his investigation into the Butler incident. FBI Director Kash Patel later testified that the agency found no foreign or domestic assistance for the attack and that Crooks acted alone. Patel also confirmed that the White House was fully briefed on the investigation’s findings.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Thomas called himself a Republican. Thomas did not like the welfare state and was against the ‘woke’ ideology but never really espoused the Republican ideology,” — Thomas Matthew, father of the shooter.
- “We fully briefed the president, as a victim of this case, at the White House, providing him with all of the details of our investigation, and the president was satisfied with the results and where we left it,” — Kash Patel, FBI Director.
Data & Statistics
- Age of shooter: 20 years.
- Number of digital accounts identified: at least 35.
- Date of shooting: July 13, 2024.
- Items purchased under the pseudonym: rifle-enhancing parts and tools.
The investigation highlights how a young gun enthusiast leveraged online anonymity tools while ultimately leaving a traceable financial trail that aided federal authorities in reconstructing the plot.