Attempted assassinations of political figures often capture the public imagination, prompting scrutiny of the motives, methods, and possible accomplices who may be involved in the act. The case of Thomas Matthew Crooks, a 20-year-old man who managed to shoot presidential candidate Donald Trump multiple times, presents a complex narrative that begs the question: was Crooks acting alone or was he part of a larger, organized conspiracy?
The attempt
On July 13, 2024, Thomas Matthew Crooks was shot and killed by the US Secret Service after he climbed onto a rooftop overlooking a Trump campaign rally and fired several shots at the Republican candidate. Reports indicate that Crooks was carrying an AR-15 rifle and managed to evade detection for an astonishing 26 minutes before firing several shots at Trump.
He was soon after taken out by a Secret Service sniper, leading to the conclusion that the sniper had him in his sights due to his short reaction time.
Examining the Lone Wolf Theory
Initially, law enforcement and media sources often adopt the “lone wolf” theory, that is, that a single person commits an act of political violence. This theory suggests that a lone perpetrator, acting alone and without direct cooperation with any other person or organization, is solely responsible for planning and executing the assassination attempt. Proponents of this view could argue that only one conspirator, driven by personal grievances or ideological extremism, attempted to make a “statement through violence.”
It is worth noting that immediately after November 22, 1963, the same thing happened to Lee Harvey Oswald, as he was arrested as the sole perpetrator of the Kennedy assassination. Of course, there is plenty of speculation that dispels the theory that Oswald acted alone.
- First, he was shot right after and the dead don’t talk.
- Second, a month before his assassination, Kennedy wanted to withdraw all troops from Vietnam.
- Thirdly there was enough testimony indicating multiple shots from multiple angles and
- Ultimately Kennedy wanted to stop Israel’s nuclear weapons program by actually inspecting the reactor at Dimona.
- So there were several factors that would benefit from his “absence” from the US Presidency.
Estimates of organized conspiracy
Here is a classic conspiracy theory. An event is classified as a conspiracy theory in the absence of concrete evidence. Once substantiated with evidence, it becomes a proven fact. However, a conspiracy theory often involves the analysis of specific facts that suggest a hidden truth, even in the absence of definitive and indisputable evidence.
Therefore, a deeper analysis of the events of July 13 suggests the possibility of an organized conspiracy behind Crooks’ actions:
1. Logistical challenges
Climbing onto a rooftop with a rifle and remaining undetected for such a long time raises questions about the logistics of this action. Organizing such an operation usually requires planning, access to resources, and possibly insider knowledge of security protocols. Simply put, the fact that Crooks drove an hour to get to Trump’s rally and chose to go up to that particular rooftop so quickly raises reasonable suspicion.
2. Psychological evaluation
Crooks’ background, mental health, and social interactions warrant a thorough examination of his life and interactions with his environment. Assessing whether he had the ability and resources to plan and execute such a sophisticated attack on his own is crucial.
3. Possible influences
Investigations should consider possible external influences, such as online radicalization, involvement with extremist groups, or interactions with individuals who may have encouraged or facilitated the attempt. Crooks had appeared in a Blackrock commercial, but this fact cannot be used to support a wider conspiracy.
4. Security Breach Analysis
This is the most important factor that increases the chances for this conspiracy theory. The analysis of how Crooks was able to evade security for so long and the fact that he was finally able to shoot at Trump, killing another man and injuring two others, will either shed light on any vulnerabilities in the current security protocols and possible gaps in intelligence gathering, or will it bring the rest of the conspirators to light.
Our Approach
Our analysis shows that there was a deliberate stand-down and not just poor coverage and decision-making by the Secret Service and local police. To this conspiracy theory argument:
- Such events are planned long in advance and all elevated spots with clear line of sight to the speaker are carefully guarded on a permanent basis. In this case there was no such care.
- Secret service agents and local police deal with and neutralize any potential threat as soon as it appears. In this case there is a report that while Crooks was noticed by the public and a police officer went up to the roof to recognize the situation and assess the danger, there was no corresponding alarm to neutralize the suspect.
- There were incompetent Secret Service agents surrounding Trump who couldn’t even put their gun back in its holster.
- The Secret Service sniper should have known where the shooter was since he shot him right after, that is, after he was able to shoot Donald Trump several times. The dead don’t talk.
- The huge American flag above Trump was a good indicator of wind direction. Although such a flag is an expected and common symbol at such rallies, the fact remains that it could be used to ascertain the arrangement of the wind in aid of the shot.
- Although Trump’s post-event stance, raising his fist and shouting “fight” multiple times, may be a catalyst for him to win more votes in the upcoming US general election in November, the fact that the Secret Service allowed such an event it is highly reprehensible. The protocol in such cases is to surround the Very Important Person (VIP) and not allow any further attempts on his life by any other shooter who may not yet be located.
Other analyses, such as the Los Angeles Times article, simply suggest that multiple security failures allowed the would-be assassin to shoot Trump.
Trump has said he will try to end the war in Ukraine, so his death could benefit organizations that benefit from this ongoing situation politically and financially. However, even with Trump as the 47th president of the United States, Russia remains wary.
It is obvious that the deep state still wants to keep John Biden (and the Democrats in general) in power, but Biden’s public appearances (Discussion with Trump and NATO Summit) and his forced withdrawal from the campaign have significantly reduce the electoral chances of the Democrats. Therefore, if a candidate cannot be defeated, they could be “barred” from the race.
In conclusion, while initial reports may point to Crooks as a lone actor, the circumstances surrounding the attempted assassination of Trump by a 20-year-old warrant a thorough investigation into the possibility of an organized conspiracy. Although this case is still a conspiracy theory, the stakes are very high, not only for understanding the true scope of the threat against presidential candidates, not only for strengthening security measures to protect against such future incidents, but also to shape world events for the next four years.
Therefore, as this case unfolds, both the public and the authorities must remain vigilant to uncover the full truth behind the actions of Thomas Matthew Crooks and any possible accomplices who may be involved in this very dark for at the time case.
