Thomas Crooks made over two-dozen ‘firearms-related purchases’ using fake name in months leading up to shooting: report

Trump shooter Thomas Matthew Crooks reportedly made over two-dozen “firearms-related purchases” starting a year before the assassination attempt.

He used a fake name to try and hide his identity online, law enforcement sources said, according to New York Post.

The 20-year-old made over 25 separate purchases from online gun supply stores to gear up last spring. He made the purchases using an alias. Sources said that the fact that Crooks went to great lengths to conceal his identity shows that he was meticulously planning the shooting.

It is unclear if any of the purchases Crooks made were actual firearms. In most cases, federal law requires ID and background checks before making gun purchases.

It has also been revealed that Crooks bought six “chemical precursors” during the first half of this year, and used them to make the rudimentary explosive devices that were later discovered in his car and home. He used an alias to make these purchases too. Crooks thus secretly made a collection of weapons and gear.

Thomas Matthew Crooks’ research

Authorities found that Crooks researched a UK royal family member and US politicians before carrying out the assassination attempt on Donald Trump. He searched the internet to learn about the Kennedy assassination, and even tried to find out how far away Lee Harvey Oswald was when he opened fire on the then-president and killed him. Crooks also researched mass shootings and power plants, and the attempted assassination of Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico.

Armed with his father’s DPMS DR-15 rifle, Crooks visited a local shooting range for practice a day before he opened fire at the Pennsylvania rally. This was the weapon he used to carry out the shooting at the rally. He was able to secretly slip the DR-15 into his backpack as the gun had a collapsible stock. Crooks was eventually shot dead by Secret Service snipers.