BETHEL PARK, Pennsylvania – Thomas Matthew Crooks, who attempted to assassinate former President Donald Trump last Saturday in Butler, Pennsylvania, graduated in May with “high honors” from the Community College of Allegheny County, according to a statement by CCAC Public Relations Director Dena Rose Buzila.
Crooks was reportedly an introvert at Bethel Park High School. He remained absent from extracurricular activities and went from being nearly invisible in his freshman and sophomore yearbooks to disappearing entirely after his older sister graduated in 2020.
Crooks began attending CCAC while he was a high school senior. The college previously confirmed that he graduated in May with an AS in Engineering Science.
In response to whether he engaged in campus life outside of class, Buzila stated:
Thomas Matthew Crooks attended CCAC during the period from September of 2021 until May of 2024, where he majored in Engineering Science. This individual graduated from CCAC with high honors on May 16, 2024, and was conferred an Associate in Science degree. He was a member of Phi Theta Kappa, Alpha Iota Eta chapter (CCAC South Campus). In addition, based upon our preliminary review, CCAC has no records relating to any disciplinary, student conduct or security-related incidents involving the identified individual.
Phi Theta Kappa is an international honor society for two-year colleges, founded in 1918 — not to be confused with the similarly-sounding Phi Beta Kappa, founded in 1776.
BPHS guidance counselor Jim Knapp told The Washington Post that he was Crooks’ guidance counselor during the student’s last three years of high school. He mentioned that Crooks was never disciplined for anything and pushed back on the notion that he was completely friendless. He noted that Crooks stayed by himself and played games on his phone as a sophomore because his classes didn’t match those of his small friend group.
As a high school student, Crooks excelled academically. It seems he continued his academic and behavioral excellence in college. It remains unclear if his social life remained the same. Authorities still have not found a motive for why he tried to murder Trump.
The Daily Star reached out to one of the co-presidents of Alpha Iota Eta but did not receive a response by press time.
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Jacob Grandstaff is a freelance writer in Nashville, Tennessee. Follow on X @JDGrandstaff.
