Thomas Matthew Crooks, who was killed by a Secret Service counter-sniper during his failed assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump last Saturday, was reportedly diagnosed with major depressive disorder prior to his death.
It was also reported that Thomas Matthew Crooks foreshadowed his attack, which claimed the life Trump supporter Corey Comperatore and injured two others in addition to piercing the former president’s right ear, on the popular video game storefront and platform Steam.
A senior congressional source reportedly told NewsNation the 20-year-old attempted assassin was at some point given a “major depressive disorder diagnosis,” but the outlet did not report when this diagnosis was given.
The National Institutes for Health explains major depressive disorder “is diagnosed when an individual has a persistently low or depressed mood, anhedonia or decreased interest in pleasurable activities, feelings of guilt or worthlessness, lack of energy, poor concentration, appetite changes, psychomotor retardation or agitation, sleep disturbances, or suicidal thoughts.”
It is unclear which symptoms Thomas Matthew Crooks experienced prior to his deadly attack.
Both of his parents, Matthew Crooks and Mary Crooks, appear to be mental health counselors who are licensed with Pennsylvania, according to records reviewed by The Pennsylvania Daily Star.
The NewsNation article was published after the Secret Service held a conference call with members of Congress, including a number of U.S. senators who were prohibited from questioning the federal agency.
While the source of the information about Crooks’ diagnosis remains unclear, Fox News pointed to the Secret Service conference with senators as the source of the information about Thomas Matthew Crooks’ account on Steam.
“July 13 will be my premiere, watch as it unfolds,” Thomas Matthew Crooks reportedly wrote on the gaming platform, which is used to purchase and download video games on personal computers.
It is unclear where Thomas Matthew Crooks reportedly left the message within his Steam account, but its users are also able to create profiles and connect with other users.
The Star has been unable to locate any close friends or associates of Thomas Matthew Crooks, but the would-be assassin reportedly kept a second cell phone that contained only 27 contacts in his home.
Neighbors described the Crooks family as quiet and detached to The Star, but at least one neighbor remembered seeing the would-be assassin walking along the street.
Yearbook photos suggest a sharp contrast between Thomas Matthew Crooks and his sister, who was involved in extracurricular activities and honored by Bethel Park High School.
Thomas Matthew Crooks, by comparison, apparently missed his school’s photo day during both his junior and senior years at the school.
The attempted assassin reportedly failed to qualify for the high school’s rifle team, being deemed too dangerous to hold a weapon, and one classmate claiming to The New York Post he“was such a comically bad shot, he was unable to make the team and left after the first day.”
Thomas Matthew Crooks did not appear in any photos from other school clubs or extracurricular events in the yearbooks reviewed by The Star, nor was he depicted at any school trips or functions.
The U.S. Secret Service has faced enormous scrutiny in the aftermath of the assassination attempt, with U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) leading a collection of colleagues in a Wednesday confrontation with Director Kim Cheatle after they were reportedly prohibited from questioning the agency on an earlier call.
Cheatle has thus far accepted responsibility for the attempted assassination but insisted she will not leave her position.
Since then, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA-04) confirmed he will publicly demand Cheatle’s resignation.
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Tom Pappert is the lead reporter for The Tennessee Star, and also reports for The Pennsylvania Daily Star and The Arizona Sun Times. Follow Tom on X/Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
National Institutes for Health?? Seriously?
“American Psychiatric Association”
Symptoms of depression symptoms can vary from mild to severe and can appear differently in each person. These symptoms can include:
-Feeling sad, irritable, empty and/or hopeless.
-Losing interest or pleasure in activities you once enjoyed.
-A significant change in appetite (eating much less or more than usual) and/or weight (notable loss or gain unrelated to dieting).
-Sleeping too little or too much.
-Decreased energy or increased tiredness or fatigue
+”Increase in purposeless physical activity (e.g., inability to sit still, pacing, handwringing) or slowed movements or speech that are severe enough to be observable by others.”
-Feeling worthless or excessively guilty.
+”Difficulty thinking or concentrating, forgetfulness, and/or difficulty making minor decisions.”
-Thoughts of death, suicidal ideation, or suicide attempts.
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Symptoms of depression symptoms can vary from mild to severe and can appear differently in each person. These symptoms can include:
Risk Factors for Depression:
Depression can affect anyone—even those who seemingly have it all. Several factors can play a role in depression. Several factors can play a role in depression:
-Biochemical: Differences in certain chemicals in the brain (such as the neurotransmitters serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine) may contribute to symptoms of depression.
-Genetic: Depression can run in families. For example, if one identical twin has depression, the other has a 70 percent chance of having the illness sometime in life.
-Personality: People with low self-esteem, who are easily overwhelmed by stress, or who are generally pessimistic may be more likely to experience depression.
-Environmental: Continuous exposure to violence, neglect, abuse or poverty can also pose risks for developing depression.
Reportedly diagnosed? People only with a major depressive disorder, with no other psychiatric disorders, does not have the mindset or capability to grab a gun and plan out an assassination. If it was major depression, and nothing else, that person would have a very hard time just leaving the house, never mind even answering the front door even for a good friend. These writers need to stop playing doctor and giving misinformation since they don’t know what they’re talking about.