Thomas Matthew Crooks, the 20-year-old who attempted to assassinate former President Donald Trump on Saturday, appeared in a corporate advertisement for BlackRock, according to Reuters.
The asset manager ran an advertisement in 2022 that featured a teacher from Bethel Park High School as well as several unpaid students. One of these students was Crooks, BlackRock told Reuters in an emailed statement Sunday. (RELATED: ‘I’m Supposed To Be Dead’: Donald Trump Reflects After ‘Very Surreal’ Brush With Death)
“In 2022, we ran an ad featuring a teacher from Bethel Park High School, in which several unpaid students briefly appeared in the background, including Thomas Matthew Crooks,” the company said.
TOPSHOT – Republican candidate Donald Trump is seen with blood on his face surrounded by secret service agents as he is taken off the stage at a campaign event at Butler Farm Show Inc. in Butler, Pennsylvania, July 13, 2024. (Photo by REBECCA DROKE/AFP via Getty Images)
BlackRock went on to condemn the assassination attempt. “The assassination attempt on former President Trump is abhorrent.”
Crooks graduated from Bethel Park High School in Pennsylvania in 2022, located approximately 35 miles south of the rally, according to the Pittsburgh Tribune Review and the FBI.
An AR-15 rifle was recovered from the scene beside the would-be assassin’s body, two law enforcement officials told The New York Times. Explosive devices were also found in the suspect’s car, according to The Wall Street Journal. (RELATED: ‘Obviously An Abysmal Failure’: Former Secret Service Agents Break Down Trump Assassination Attempt, Security Response)
BlackRock has come under fire in recent years over its environmental, social and governance (ESG) policies. In March, the Texas Permanent School Fund pulled $8.5 billion from the investment firm over its ESG policies, and in June conservative watch dog group American Accountability Foundation (AAF) revealed the investment company was using Oklahoman’s pension funds to advance a racial and climate agenda.
The company is the world’s largest asset manager, with over $10 trillion under management.
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