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The two victims injured in the assassination attempt targeting former President Donald Trump have been identified as David Dutch, 57, of New Kensington, and James Copenhaver, 74, of Moon Township, and upgraded from critical to stable condition as of Sunday (July 14) afternoon, according to the Pennsylvania State Police Department.
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro previously identified the victim killed during the incident as Corey Comperatore, 50, of Sarver.
“These victims and their families are certainly in our thoughts today,” said Colonel Christopher Paris, Pennsylvania State Police Commissioner. “The Pennsylvania State Police continue to work tirelessly alongside our federal, state and local partners as this investigation continues.”
Trump shared multiple posts on his Truth Social account after the shooting confirming he was "fine" and urging his supporters to "remain resilient in our Faith and Defiant in the face of Wickedness." Police identified the shooter as Thomas Matthew Crooks late Saturday night. Crooks, 20, was reportedly on the roof of a manufacturing plant more than 130 yards away from the stage where Trump addressed his supporters in Butler, Pennsylvania, when he took fire at the former president. Secret Service snipers immediately took out Crooks, who was found with an AR-style semi-automatic assault rifle and wearing a shirt for the popular gun YouTube channel Demolition Ranch, after he opened fire.
Crooks is reported to have donated $15 to the liberal ActBlue political action committee on the day of President Joe Biden's inauguration in January 2021, but later registered to vote as a Republican upon turning 18 in September 2021, according to records obtained and shared by the Intercept. A motive for the shooting was not determined when FBI officials identified the 20-year-old during an update late Saturday night.
The shooter's father, Matthew Crooks, told CNN that he was trying to figure out "what the hell is going on" after his son was identified by authorities. The elder Crooks said he wouldn't provide details about his son and wanted to "wait until I talk to law enforcement" before speaking out on the shooting incident.
Trump is scheduled to accept the Republican presidential nomination during the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, this week.