Former Classmate Says Shooter Was ‘Passionate’ About Politics, Insinuated He Was Stupid for Supporting Trump
A Hispanic ex-classmate of shooter Thomas Matthew Crooks said he insinuated he was stupid for supporting former President Donald Trump in an interview with Fox News Digital.
Vincent Taormina told the outlet that Crooks, 20, was “passionate” about politics but hated “all” politicians.
“He just did not like politicians, especially with the choices that we’ve had. He did not like our politicians,” Taormina said.
He said in 2016 — when Crooks would have been about 16 years old — that he “disliked all of them.”
A woman walks by a poster depicting Thomas Matthew Crooks, the man that attempted to assassinate former President Donald Trump stands on Water street during the 2024 Republican National Convention near the Fiserv Forum, Wednesday, July 17, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
Taormina did not specify when he spoke to Crooks about Trump but said, “I brought up the fact that I’m Hispanic and, you know, I’m for Trump. And he said, ‘Well you’re Hispanic, so shouldn’t you hate Trump?’”
Taormina said he responded that Trump was a great president, and Crooks “insinuated that I was stupid.”
“He was a know-it-all,” he added. “He acted like he knew everything, especially politics-related.”
JUST IN: Former Thomas Crooks classmate says Crooks was a known Trump hater and was a “know it all.”
The FBI still doesn’t know what Crooks’ motive could have been.
Hispanic classmate Vincent Taormina recalled a political disagreement he had with Crooks after he told him that… pic.twitter.com/LzgnohInnw
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) July 17, 2024
“He was real smug, arrogant whenever he was talking…It got under my skin a lot,” Taormina said.
He said Crooks was not a loner or bullied and had a friend group who were “definitely the type, and they did, make threats to shoot up our school.”
Fox News reported on Wednesday that investigators have not found evidence of a particular ideology Crooks held, but that he had written on a gaming platform called “Steam”: “July 13 will be my premiere, watch as it unfolds.” However, CNN reported on Thursday that FBI investigators now believe the Steam account is a fake.
Investigators also reportedly found a few internet searches by Crooks in July of “Trump,” “Biden,” “when is DNC convention,” and “July 13 Trump rally.”
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