Thomas Crooks, the person accused of attempting to assassinate President Trump, practiced at a Pennsylvania gun range the day before the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) conducted a training there, according to a logbook obtained by Sen. Chuck Grassley’s office.
On May 22, Crooks, 20, visited the Clairton Sportsmen’s Club and practiced alone at the rifle range, as recorded in the club’s logbook. The following day, DHS held a “police training” session at the same range starting at noon, with at least three participants, according to club records.
The rifle range at Clairton Sportsmen’s Club, measuring 200 yards, provided ample distance for Crooks to practice the 150-yard shot he would later use on July 13. The shooting injured Trump and resulted in the death of a bystander.
It is unclear whether the DHS training was a routine event or an isolated occurrence. However, Crooks was a regular visitor to the range, practicing there dozens of times since joining the club in August 2023. According to Grassley’s office, he spent about 80% of his time at the rifle range, indicating intense preparation for his attack.
Throughout 2024, Crooks averaged between three and six visits per month, never brought a guest, and practiced on notable dates including Halloween, Christmas, and Valentine’s Day. His last visit was on July 12, the day before he targeted Trump’s rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, with an AR-15 rifle. Crooks was subsequently killed by Secret Service snipers.
The Clairton Sportsmen’s Club, located about 30 minutes from Crooks' hometown of Bethel Park and over an hour from the rally site, declined to comment on either Crooks or the DHS training, citing the ongoing investigation.
