Newly declassified federal documents delivered to the United States Senate have exposed chilling new details regarding the mental state, erratic behaviors, and physical movements of Thomas Matthew Crooks in the weeks leading up to his July 13, 2024, attempt on the life of former President Donald Trump.
The documents, initially reported by the New York Post and subsequently analyzed by security experts, paint a portrait of a young man undergoing a severe, unaddressed psychological collapse. According to law enforcement officials and behavioral experts, the records reveal a series of critical "red flags" that went unnoticed or unreported by those closest to the 20-year-old gunman before he opened fire at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, killing one spectator and critically injuring two others.
Main Facts: The Declassified FBI Files
The newly released investigative materials, consisting of unclassified FBI memos, interview transcripts, and handwritten field notes, offer the most intimate look to date into Crooks’ domestic life in Bethel Park, Pennsylvania.
Key revelations from the documents include:
- Psychological Deterioration: Former FBI Special Agent Jonathan Gilliam, reviewing the files, observed that Crooks was "spiraling into an almost manic state" characterized by sleeplessness, pacing, and involuntary physical gestures.
- Erratic Domestic Behavior: Family members or cohabitants—whose identities remain redacted—reported that Crooks spent nights pacing, whispering, and dancing alone in his room, exhibiting what was described as "endless energy."
- Deceptive Habits: When confronted about suspicious materials, including a gallon jug of unidentified liquid allegedly used for a 3D printer, Crooks displayed physical tells of deception, such as his ears turning bright red.
- Unexplained Associations: Despite official testimonies claiming Crooks acted entirely alone, the documents reveal he was spotted in a Pennsylvania gun shop in May 2024 accompanied by two older men.
- International Inquiry: The FBI made contact with at least one foreign government during the initial phases of the investigation, though the specific nature of this outreach remains classified.
Chronology: The Path to the Butler Rally
Reconstructing Crooks’ timeline through the lens of the newly released documents reveals a sharp divergence between his outward academic ambitions and a dark, insular escalation toward violence.
[2023 - Early 2024]
Graduates from CCAC; plans to attend Robert Morris University.
Begins talking to himself more frequently.
│
▼
[Spring 2024]
Enrolls in specialized firearm courses at Keystone Shooting Center.
Conducts erratic online searches to purchase ammunition.
│
▼
[May 25, 2024]
Spotted at Keystone Armory with two older men;
buys Red Army 7.62x54R ammunition.
│
▼
[June - July 2024]
Domestic behavior worsens: night pacing, whispering, and dancing.
Confronted about mysterious 3D printer liquid.
│
▼
[July 13, 2024]
Launches assassination attempt at Butler, PA rally;
neutralized by Secret Service.Academic Transitions and Social Withdrawal
Crooks had recently earned an associate degree in engineering science from the Community College of Allegheny County (CCAC). He was preparing to transition to Robert Morris University to pursue a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering.
To those on the periphery, including coworkers at a local nursing home, Crooks seemed to be progressing. In the weeks preceding the attack, one colleague told investigators that Crooks had "opened up a little more" and appeared genuinely "excited about going to school."
Weaponry Training and Purchases
Behind this mundane facade, Crooks was actively preparing for a kinetic event. Throughout the spring of 2024, he enrolled in multiple specialized firearm courses at the Keystone Shooting Center.
On May 25, 2024, Crooks traveled to the Keystone Armory in Edinboro, Pennsylvania. Surveillance and witness accounts show him accompanied by two individuals: a white male in his mid-30s and an older white male with a gray beard. While browsing the inventory, Crooks purchased 20 rounds of Red Army 7.62x54R ammunition—a heavy-caliber rifle round—for $19.07.
Furthermore, digital forensics revealed that Crooks spent weeks "site-hopping" across various online ammunition distributors, searching for vendors willing to bypass purchase restrictions or ship directly to him without delay.
Supporting Data: Behavioral Anomalies and Deception
The core of the FBI’s behavioral assessment lies in the testimonies of those who shared a living space with Crooks. These accounts depict a young man increasingly detached from reality, exhibiting classic symptoms of a manic or delusional episode.
The "Manic" Sleep Cycle
According to an FBI notepad detailing interviews with an individual close to Crooks, the young man’s behavior became highly disruptive as he aged.
"Thomas would be in [redacted] at night and it sounded like he was dancing and whispering each night," the FBI memo states. "About two to three times each week, he would pace through [redacted]."
The individual noted that Crooks "seemed to have endless energy" and would regularly stay awake through the night. When confronted about his late-night pacing, which was described as highly distracting to others in the household who worked early shifts, Crooks dismissively claimed he was merely "bored and trying to entertain himself."
+-----------------------------------------------------------------+
| KEY BEHAVIORAL RED FLAGS OBSERVED |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------+
| • Chronic insomnia coupled with "endless energy" |
| • Repetitive, involuntary hand gestures and talking to himself |
| • Midnight pacing and whispering in dark rooms |
| • Physical indicators of extreme anxiety (ears flushing red) |
| • Obsessive, covert acquisition of chemical/firearm components |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------+Verbal Dissociation
In addition to physical pacing, Crooks’ verbal habits grew increasingly erratic after he completed his community college coursework. He was frequently observed speaking aloud to himself, accompanied by repetitive, jerky hand movements. When confronted by a household member, Crooks admitted to the habit of talking to himself but flatly denied that he was hearing internal voices or experiencing auditory hallucinations.
The 3D Printer and the "Red Ear" Tell
Though investigators initially noted that Crooks "was never into explosives," family members grew suspicious of his hobbies. The documents detail an incident where an individual confronted Crooks regarding a gallon jug of an unidentified chemical liquid. Crooks claimed the substance was a cleaning agent meant for the bed of his 3D printer.
The interviewer noted that the family member did not believe the explanation. According to the file, the individual knew Crooks was lying because his "ears would flame red when he lied"—a distinct physical tell that Crooks was unable to control when under scrutiny.
Official Responses and Congressional Oversight
The release of these documents has intensified the political and legislative scrutiny surrounding the federal response to the Butler shooting.
FBI Director’s Testimony
During a Senate Oversight Committee hearing, FBI Director Kash Patel addressed the persistent questions regarding whether Crooks acted as part of a broader conspiracy. Despite the May 25 sighting of Crooks with two unidentified men at the Keystone Armory, Patel maintained that the bureau’s digital and physical forensic sweeps point to a solitary actor.
"We found no evidence that that individual was literally even speaking to any other human being other than his parents, who he resided with," Patel testified.
This statement has drawn skepticism from independent security analysts, who point out that the presence of the two men at the Edinboro gun shop remains an unresolved lead in the public record.
Furthermore, the revelation that the FBI initiated contact with a foreign government during its investigation has fueled speculation, though federal officials have declined to clarify whether this contact was related to Crooks’ encrypted communication accounts or foreign-hosted platforms.
Expert Analysis of the "Manic Spiral"
Former FBI Special Agent Jonathan Gilliam argued that the newly disclosed behavioral patterns should have been treated as immediate indicators of mental instability.
"These are definitely examples of somebody who is mentally not stable and also somebody who was spiraling into almost a manic or delusional state," Gilliam told Fox News Digital.
Gilliam emphasized the volatile nature of combining severe untreated mental illness with unmonitored online spaces:
"When you combine somebody who is delusional, somebody who’s hearing voices and is having almost a manic type of episode… with potential influence either by persons that they’re around or things that they see online… it’s very possible that that is the large part of this equation that we just have not seen."
Implications: Security Failures and Legal Fallout
The revelations contained within these FBI files carry profound implications for national security protocols, public safety legislation, and the ongoing legal battles surrounding the Butler rally.
The Bystander Dilemma and Threat Assessment
The details of Crooks’ domestic life highlight a recurring vulnerability in modern threat-mitigation strategies: the gap between domestic observations and law enforcement intervention. While those living with Crooks noticed his extreme sleep deprivation, involuntary talking, physical tells of deception, and suspicious chemical acquisitions, these behaviors were kept within the household.
Security experts argue that public awareness campaigns must focus on helping families identify the transition from baseline mental health struggles to active pre-attack planning.
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| THE COVERT ESCALATION CYCLE |
| |
| [Domestic Space] ────► Insomnia, Pacing, Deceptive Behavior |
| │ |
| ▼ |
| [Technical Prep] ────► 3D Printing, Online Ammo Sourcing |
| │ |
| ▼ |
| [Tactical Prep] ────► Firearm Courses, Range Practice |
| │ |
| ▼ |
| [Active Threat] ────► Attack Execution |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------+Systemic Law Enforcement Failures and Civil Litigation
The details of Crooks’ steady mental decline have added leverage to legal actions filed by the victims of the Butler shooting. Two survivors who sustained severe injuries during the rally have filed a federal lawsuit against the United States government and the Secret Service. The plaintiffs allege "preventable failures" on the part of law enforcement, arguing that systemic communication breakdowns, a failure to secure the perimeter, and a lack of attention to local intelligence reports allowed an obviously unstable individual to access a high-vantage roof with an assault rifle.
The newly declassified documents suggest that the signs of Crooks’ instability were extensive and readable. As Congress continues its investigation, these files will likely serve as a focal point for reform in protective intelligence, threat assessment, and the prevention of targeted political violence.
