The Bethel Park School District has released a statement that claims Trump rally shooter Thomas Matthew Crooks never tried out for his school’s rifle team.
In a press release, The Bethel Park School District wrote, “It has been reported that Thomas Crooks was a member of the Bethel Park High School rifle team or tried out for it but was dismissed due to poor performance or because the coach had character concerns.”
The statement continued, “Thomas Crooks was never a member of the school’s rifle team, and we have no record of him trying out. The coach does not recall meeting him.”
However, The school noted, “The coach does not recall meeting him. However, it is possible that Crooks informally attended a practice, took a shot, and never returned. We don’t have any record of that happening.”
The new press release by the Bethel Park School District comes six days after the Associated Press reported Crooks tried out for his school’s rifle team but was not allowed on the team because he was a bad shooter.
Trump shooter Thomas Crooks was not a member of rifle team, wasn’t bullied despite previous reports, school district claims https://t.co/QYWtYewOEz pic.twitter.com/nSw3DGh9Ab
— New York Post (@nypost) July 20, 2024
Per The Bethel Park School District:
Bethel Park School District can confirm that the alleged shooter in the July 13, 2024, assassination attempt on former President Donald J. Trump is a graduate of Bethel Park High School. Thomas Matthew Crooks graduated from Bethel Park High School with the Class of 2022.
The school district wishes to express its sincere wishes for a speedy and complete recovery for Mr. Trump and those in attendance at the Saturday event who may have been physically harmed or emotionally impacted by these tragic events. We offer special condolences to the family of Mr. Corey Comperatore, who was killed. Our thoughts and prayers are with you at this difficult time.
Our school district will cooperate fully with the active law enforcement investigation surrounding this case, and as such, we are limited in what we can publicly disclose.
It has been reported that Thomas Crooks was a member of the Bethel Park High School rifle team or tried out for it but was dismissed due to poor performance or because the coach had character concerns. Thomas Crooks was never a member of the school’s rifle team and we have no record of him trying out. The coach does not recall meeting him. However, it is possible that Crooks informally attended a practice, took a shot, and never returned. We don’t have any record of that happening.
Statement from Bethel Park School District: https://t.co/SqIT40tm6Z pic.twitter.com/yuAXfCJESx
— Patrick Webb (@RealPatrickWebb) July 20, 2024