A gunman attempted to assassinate former President Donald Trump during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, resulting in the death of a rally attendee and the injury of Trump. The shooter, Thomas Crooks, allegedly used the social media platform Gab to post messages in support of President Biden according to The New York Post.
Crooks, armed with an AR-15 rifle, opened fire during Trump’s campaign rally on July 13. The attack, which has sparked bipartisan outrage, resulted in the death of one attendee and left Trump with an injury to his ear.
Crooks was subsequently shot and killed by a Secret Service sniper on the scene, putting an end to the immediate threat.
Gab CEO Andrew Torba revealed that Crooks might have had an account on their platform under the handle @epicmicrowave. In response to an emergency disclosure request from law enforcement, Torba shared information indicating that this account had posted nine times, mostly in support of President Biden.
Torba noted that while the account did not post frequently, the majority of its posts supported various Biden administration policies. These included President Biden’s COVID lockdowns, border policies, and executive orders.
This revelation added a new dimension to understanding the potential motives behind the attack.
According to Torba, some of the posts from the @epicmicrowave account mocked others’ election predictions and supported Biden's executive orders. One post, directed at those who doubted Biden’s victory, read: “Didn’t you also think Biden would lose in a landslide yeah I would not be very confident in your election predictions.”
Another post defended Biden’s border policies, emphasizing that a majority of illegal immigrants are not criminals and that human traffickers are not incentivized by citizenship.
The account also expressed skepticism about the efficiency of the existing path to citizenship in rooting out potential bad actors.
Torba disclosed these details despite potential risks to his personal and business interests. “We have saved the account data pending receipt of a search warrant,” he stated, explaining that the platform had faced politically motivated inquiries in the past.
In disclosing this information, Torba positioned Gab against allegations of covering up the truth about the shooter's political affiliations.
“If the past is any guide, defying the D.C. consensus by publishing the first definitive evidence that the shooter was a Biden supporter has a high probability of resulting in significant political and media backlash,” he commented.
Torba also highlighted that Gab had been subjected to scrutiny by the House Oversight Committee and the Joint Committee on the January 6th Capitol attack, both of which he viewed as interfering with Gab’s mission to protect free speech online.
The incident has drawn significant attention to the safety measures for public figures, and the failings of the Secret Service have sparked criticism from both political sides. Authorities have yet to elaborate on Crooks’ specific motives, leaving many questions about the broader implications of the attack.
Gab, which was formed in 2016, has faced previous controversies related to its users. The platform was used by the 2018 Tree of Life synagogue shooter and by participants in the January 6th Capitol riot. The connection between Gab and violent actions has raised ongoing concerns about the role of social media in fostering extremism.
In summary, the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania resulted in the death of one attendee and the injury of Trump, while the shooter, Thomas Matthew Crooks, was killed by a Secret Service sniper. Crooks’ alleged use of Gab to post pro-Biden messages sheds light on a new dimension of the case, as authorities continue their investigation into the motives behind the attack.
