NEW: Would-Be Trump Assassin’s Bone-Chilling Nickname From High School Is Revealed

Last Saturday, 20-year-old Thomas Crooks fired an AR-style rifle barely missing former President Donald Trump. The bullet grazed Trump, an incident that led to his appearance at the Republican National Convention on Monday with a bandaged ear. Amidst roaring chants of “fight” from the audience—a sentiment echoed by Trump himself after the attack—Crooks’ attempt on the former president’s life was thwarted by a Secret Service sniper.

Before his violent act placed him on the grim list of attempted presidential assassins in U.S. history, Crooks had kept a low profile, seemingly blending into the background. Jim Knapp, the former guidance counselor of the gunman at Bethel Park High School in the suburbs south of Pittsburgh, described Crooks as a solitary figure during his school days.

“He just wanted to stay by himself,” Knapp recalled to The New York Times, noting that Crooks often chose to sit alone at lunch in the cafeteria, focused on his phone rather than interacting with his peers. Former classmates shared consistent memories of Crooks, painting him as an intelligent yet reclusive figure who navigated the school corridors with his head bowed and seldom participated in class discussions.

(YOURS FREE: Trump 2024 “Still Standing” Flag With Iconic New Imagery)

Despite his quiet demeanor, they affirmed that he never exhibited violent tendencies or made threats. “He didn’t want attention, good or negative,” said Julianna Grooms, 19, who first noticed Crooks during their freshman year. During their freshman year, Crooks was conspicuous in his wide-legged jeans and SpongeBob T-shirts. Grooms recalled that some students mocked him for his hygiene and his reserved demeanor.

“Those other kids would always say, ‘Hey, look at the school shooter over there!’ They would tease him about his poor hygiene, his body odor. He was an easy target,” she explained.

WATCH:

The Bethel Park School District confirmed Crooks graduated in 2022, though it withheld further details about his academic record. A video shared with TMZ captured a moment from his school days, showing classmates bothering him during a class.

In the footage, Crooks, seated at his desk, is visibly agitated as a classmate tugs at his trouser leg, prompting him to repeatedly say, “Stop, you’re pulling my leg,” while laughter can be heard from the person recording the incident.

Anna Dusch, 20, recalled sharing an Advanced Placement American government class with Crooks during their senior year, a period when classes had resumed normally following pandemic-related disruptions like virtual learning and staggered schedules. Dusch noted that Crooks was well-versed in the class material but remained private about his political leanings.

“I would’ve never known who he was voting for,” she mentioned to The Times. “He seemed to be really intelligent. If there was a fact to be said, he knew it.”

She observed that Crooks mostly kept to himself and, despite his somewhat unusual demeanor, never gave her any cause for concern. “He was a little bit odd, but I never would’ve suspected this,” Dusch added. “I don’t think any of us knew who he was.”

“Their class was so traumatized from it. All of these kids were really isolated,” noted Jill Bortz, whose son also went to the same school. “Those are the prime years. That’s not going to work for every kid, you know?”

(HURRY: Get Your FREE SHIRT To Honor Trump’s Bravery – BRAND NEW)