Viral Video Hoax: Impostor Claims to Be Trump's Shooter, but the Truth is Revealed

Recently, a video surfaced online featuring an individual falsely claiming to be Thomas Crooks, purportedly involved in the shooting incident targeting Donald Trump. However, upon closer examination and fact-checking, it has been confirmed that this person is not Thomas Matthew Crooks. The video was later revealed to be a hoax, perpetrated by an impostor on platform X who admitted posting it as a joke.

Social Media Posts

A video of a long-haired blonde person wearing a blue shirt, saying, “My name is Thomas Matthew Crooks. I hate Republicans. I hate Trump. And guess what. You got the wrong guy,” has spread across various social media platforms, including Facebook and X (formerly Twitter), with captions claiming this individual attempted to shoot Donald Trump.

Source | Archive

Source | Archive

Source | Archive

However, after fact-checking, we found that the person in the video is not Thomas Matthew Crooks.

Fact Check

We began investigating by using the Reverse Image Search feature to verify the claim and trace the origin of the video. We discovered a report from the website DW.com indicating that the individual in question is not Thomas Crooks, but a user of the X platform named @jewgazing, who posted the video of himself. He later admitted it was just a joke (see the post HERE). Recently, we found that this user has deleted the video from his account (Source).

It appears there has been a case of mistaken identity regarding the widely circulated photo attributed to “Thomas Matthew Crooks”. The individual in the photo is actually X user jewgazing, who is unrelated to the attempted assassination of former President Trump. This underscores the importance of verifying information and images before attributing them to specific individuals involved in sensitive or high-profile events.

https://x.com/Slatzism/status/1812342342336102633 | Archive

Additionally, reports from various sources such as CNN, BBC, and The Independent have identified the true identity of Thomas Crooks, the 20-year-old perpetrator, who is not the person in the viral video mentioned above.

Picture of Thomas Matthew Crooks (Source: AP)

Thomas Crooks is a kitchen worker from Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, aged 20. Crooks graduated from Bethel Park High School in 2022 and is a member of a local shooting club. According to state voter records, he is registered as a Republican supporter and contributed to a liberal campaign group in 2021.

The FBI confirmed that he shot Donald Trump during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, using a semi-automatic AR-15 rifle. The shooting occurred while Trump was addressing the crowd, resulting in one death and two injuries among the audience. The Secret Service's sniper unit fatally shot him at the scene. During the identification process, investigators used DNA and facial recognition technology to identify him, as he had no identification on him. It is also suspected that the perpetrator acted alone (Source).

ALSO READ: Viral Image Of Smiling Secret Service Agents Escorting Trump Is EDITED

It is important to clarify that Thomas Crooks, as per verified information, is a kitchen worker from Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, and there is no record of him being involved in such an incident. The individual in the video claiming to be Thomas Crooks is likely impersonating him, and this should be treated as misinformation or a hoax unless verified otherwise by credible sources.

In situations like this, it's crucial to rely on factual information from reputable sources and to avoid spreading unverified claims. If there are further developments or clarifications regarding this incident, seeking updates from reliable news outlets or official statements would be advisable.

Conclusion

The video depicting a man falsely claiming to be Thomas Crooks is not authentic. This individual is identified as a user of platform X who later clarified that the video was posted as a joke. Furthermore, credible news sources have consistently reported that Thomas Crooks, the person involved in the attempted shooting of Donald Trump, was fatally shot at the scene by a Secret Service sniper.