State voter records show that Crooks was a registered Republican. The upcoming November 5 election would have been the first time Crooks had been old enough to vote in a US presidential race.
Crooks lived about an hour away from where the shooting took place in Butler.
When Crooks was 17 he made a $US15 donation to ActBlue, a political action committee that raises money for left-leaning and Democratic politicians, according to a 2021 Federal Election Commission filing.
Crooks’ donation was earmarked for the Progressive Turnout Project, a national group that rallies Democrats to vote.
Crooks graduated in 2022 from Bethel Park High School, according to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. He received a $US500 “star award” from the National Math and Science Initiative, according to a newspaper report.
Law enforcement officials said Crooks carried no identification to the site of the shooting and had to be identified using other methods.
USA Today reported that dozens of law enforcement vehicles were stationed outside a residence listed at the address on Crooks’ voter registration record.
Reuters could not immediately identify social media accounts or other online postings by Crooks. Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, did not immediately respond to questions on whether the platforms had removed any accounts related to the suspect.
