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The Shooter
Authorities identified the gunman as Thomas Matthew Crooks, a 20-year-old from Pennsylvania. Investigators said he fired several rounds from an AR-15-style rifle positioned on a rooftop about 400 feet (120 meters) from the stage. He was shot and killed within seconds by a U.S. Secret Service counter-sniper team.
Investigation and Aftermath
The shooting prompted multiple federal investigations into security failures at the event. Later bipartisan reviews found preventable mistakes and technical problems in the Secret Service’s planning and communications, leading to calls for major reforms. The FBI continued investigating the shooter’s motive, which has not been definitively established.
The attack marked the first time a current or former U.S. president had been shot since the 1981 assassination attempt on Ronald Reagan, and it had a major impact on the 2024 election campaign.