Why did that guy shoot Trump in the ear?

The answer is that nobody knows

Here’s what’s publicly known:

Family political background

Thomas Matthew Crooks’s father was registered as a Libertarian but was profiled by Trump’s campaign in 2016 as a strong‐Republican gun‐owner. The family displayed pro‑Trump and MAGA yard signs until recently. His mother was a registered Democrat. Thomas himself was registered Republican but in 2021 made a small donation to a Democratic voter‑turnout group .

His upbringing

Neighbors described the household as middle‑class, with pro‑Trump signs up in the yard but no overt family extremism or activism .

Political leanings in his neighborhood / zip code

He lived in Bethel Park, PA, a Pittsburgh suburb. It's within Butler County, which in recent elections is strongly Republican: about 57% of registered voters were Republicans, ~28% Democrats, and ~15% unaffiliated or Third‑party .

Within the city of Butler itself (the rally location, ~hour from Bethel Park), city precinct data from May 2025 shows more registered Republicans than Democrats, and Republican primary turnout significantly higher – roughly 365 Republicans vs. 293 Democrats in one precinct .

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In summary:

Thomas Crooks grew up in a household with mixed registrations (father Libertarian leaning Republican, mother Democrat), lived in a Republican‐leaning suburban community, and personally was registered Republican though showed some Democratic leanings once.