Thomas Matthew Crooks: Registered Republican and gun lover who shot Trump

“He was bullied almost everyday. He would sit alone at lunch. I mean, he was just an outcast, and you know how kids are nowadays”, one former pupil told NBC.

“They go see someone like that and target him because they think it’s funny or whatever. It’s the best way I can describe it. And honestly, it’s kinda sad. I don’t want to say this is what provoked it, but you never know.

“He was bullied so much. So much [in high school]. They just made fun, for the way he dressed, his appearance.”

Sarah D’Angelo, a former classmate of Crooks at Bethel Park High School, told the Wall Street Journal the gunman Crooks had never appeared political at school.

“He never outwardly spoke about his political views or how much he hated Trump or anything,” she said.

The FBI said that Crooks was not carrying any identification when he made the assassination attempt and had to be identified using DNA samples.

“We don’t currently have an identified motive, although our investigators are working tirelessly to attempt to identify what that motive was,” said Kevin Rojek, an FBI Pittsburgh special agent.