A Texas YouTuber who runs a popular channel for gun enthusiasts is distancing himself from the gunman who opened fire on former President Donald Trump during a rally Saturday in western Pennsylvania.
Photos verified by NBC News showed the shooter, identified by authorities as Thomas Matthew Crooks, wearing a Demolition Ranch shirt on the day of the shooting. The images began circulating after Crooks, 20, of Bethel Park, was killed by at least one Secret Service sniper.
In almost six-minute video Monday, Matt Carriker, who runs the Demolition Ranch YouTube channel, said: “We were shocked and confused to discover this. The shooter who tried to assassinate Trump wore merchandise from my channel and a Demolition Ranch t-shirt. And it was a shame to see that.
“Yes, that was difficult,” he added.
Carriker said he keeps politics out of his videos and does not support violence on his channel.
“This channel was never designed to incite violence or hatred,” he said. “It never was, is not and never will be a channel that does this.
The YouTuber, who has more than 11 million subscribers, said it is impossible to evaluate who buys one of his shirts, explaining that they are made in his hometown and shipped around the world. The shirts sell for around $30.
“I wish I could. I would love to prevent people like that from buying, wearing and being associated with that piece of clothing. I wish he wouldn’t get a shirt, but it happened,” he said, adding, “Seeing my name next to the from the shooter, ugh, it sucks. And I wish I could stop that from happening.”
This story originally appeared on NBCNews.com read the full story
