Would-be Trump assassin wore San Antonio-area gun influencer’s branded T-shirt during attack

The operator of San Antonio-area YouTube channel Demolition Ranch expressed shock on social media this weekend after reports that the would-be Trump assassin wore a T-shirt branded with the channel’s logo.

On Saturday, 20-year-old Thomas Mathew Crooks shot at former President Donald Trump during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, in an apparent assassination attempt. The Secret Service shot and killed Crooks, while Trump received only a minor injury to his ear.

Following the shooting, reports surfaced that Crooks was wearing what appeared to be a Demolition Ranch-branded shirt.

Boerne-based veterinarian Dr. Matt Carriker, who runs Demolition Ranch, a channel for gun enthusiasts, took to social media to express confusion after seeing a photo of the shirt on Crooks’ lifeless. body.

“What the hell,” Carriker wrote in an Instagram post that included the image.

Carriker tweeted Sunday that he received phone calls from news outlets requesting comment. He affirmed that he “will make a public statement soon on [YouTube].”

“Still just in disbelief, honestly,” Carriker added.

Authorities have offered no information directly linking the gunman to Carriker or his channel.

As of press time, Carriker hasn’t released a statement on his YouTube channel, not did he responded to the Current’s request for comment.

The Demolition Ranch YouTube channel has 11.6 million subscribers and has posted nearly 700 videos since its 2011 launch. The channel features videos of Carriker using and reviewing weapons ranging from handguns to tanks.

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This article appears in Jul 3-9, 2024.