Donald Trump shooter identified as Thomas Matthew Crooks

globalnews.ca:

A shooting at Donald Trump‘s rally in Butler, Pa., is being investigated as an attempted assassination of the former president and presumptive Republican nominee, law enforcement officials say.

Trump called Sunday for unity and resilience as shocked leaders across the political divide reacted to the shooting.

The Secret Service said it killed the suspected shooter, 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, who attacked from an elevated position outside the rally venue.

Two law enforcement officials told The Associated Press investigators believe the weapon was bought by Crook’s father at least six months ago.

The officials said federal agents were still working to understand when and how Crooks, a registered Republican voter in Pennsylvania according to state records, obtained the gun and gather additional information about him as they worked to try to identify a possible motive.

The investigation is focused on Crooks. The officials were not authorized to publicly discuss details of the investigation and spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity.

A barrage of gunfire set off panic Saturday, and a bloodied Trump, who said he was shot in the ear, was surrounded by Secret Service and hurried to his SUV as he pumped his fist in a show of defiance.

Trump’s campaign said the presumptive GOP nominee was doing “fine” after the shooting, which he said pierced the upper part of his right ear.

“I knew immediately that something was wrong in that I heard a whizzing sound, shots, and immediately felt the bullet ripping through the skin. Much bleeding took place,” he wrote on his social media site.

One attendee was killed and two spectators were critically injured, authorities said. All were identified as men.

The attack was the most serious