Docs: Thomas Crooks Used ‘Bob Dole’ Alias Before Donor Cremation

Thomas Matthew Crooks, the Pennsylvania man who killed one spectator and critically injured two others during his failed attempt to assassinate President Donald Trump, appeared to have lived a largely isolated teenage life. Federal records viewed by News Outlet also indicate he used the name “Bob Dole” to receive suspicious packages, while an anonymous donor later covered the cost of having his body cremated.

Documents provided to the Senate portray Crooks’ actions as completely unexpected by his family. More than a year after the attack, investigators still have not established a clear motive.

Crooks, who was 20 when he carried out the attack, generally waited to collect packages addressed to the Dole alias until his father, who worked late hours, had returned home.

He was killed by law enforcement after opening fire at Trump’s July 2024 campaign rally. A family attorney later told investigators that Crooks was cremated soon afterward, with the expense reportedly paid by an unidentified donor.

In the aftermath of the shooting, Crooks’ father, Matthew, retired early, while his mother, Mary, took a leave of absence from work as the family tried to cope with what had happened.

The investigative records, assembled after the 2024 attack at the Butler, Pennsylvania, rally, include interviews with Crooks’ father. He told FBI agents that his son “never identified anyone as a friend throughout middle school and high school.”

During interviews conducted the day after the shooting, Matthew Crooks said his son did interact with classmates but insisted they were not his friends.

In the period leading up to the shooting, Crooks’ father noticed him speaking aloud to himself. Despite working in the mental health field, the father said he did not observe other indications that suggested a possible mental illness.

Matthew Crooks described his son as a top student who earned a 1400 on his first SAT without preparing. Still, he told investigators that Crooks worried he would not be accepted into college and underwent a noticeable shift between his freshman and sophomore years. He became more withdrawn and struggled to communicate with teachers.

Crooks once considered joining the military and working aboard nuclear submarines, though investigators could not determine how seriously he pursued that possibility.

After preparing for another exam, Crooks retook the SAT and scored above 1500, according to the records.

Matthew Crooks said his son began using the Dole pseudonym after the family’s checking account was hacked and fraudulent gambling transactions appeared.

This is a breaking news story. Stick with News Outlet for updates.