Thomas Matthew Crooks, the alleged shooter in the attempted assassination of former President Trump, appeared in a 2022 ad from asset manager BlackRock, the company confirmed to The Hill on Monday.
BlackRock’s ad was filmed at Bethel Park High School in Pennsylvania, during which Crooks and other unpaid students briefly appeared alongside a real teacher, the company said in an emailed statement.
The company removed the video from circulation and made all images available to authorities.
The ad was initially part of the campaign “About BlackRock” which focused on managing retirement plans for U.S. public school teachers.
Crooks graduated from Bethel Park High School in 2022, and former classmates told reporters that he was relentlessly bullied and was often alone.
Authorities say he opened fire at a Trump rally at an agricultural fair in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday, wounding the former president and killing a spectator. Two other participants were seriously injured, the Secret Service said.
Crooks was shot to death by the Secret Service on a nearby rooftop.
Investigators said Sunday they were still trying to determine a motive, but found bomb-making materials inside his vehicle and at his home.
BlackRock, the world’s largest asset manager, condemned the violence in its comments on the announcement.
“The attempted assassination of former President Trump is abhorrent. We are grateful that former President Trump was not seriously injured and thinking of all the innocent bystanders and victims of this terrible act, especially the person who was killed,” the company said.
“As our leadership team communicated to colleagues on Saturday night, BlackRock strongly condemns political violence of any kind and will do our part to promote civility and unity in the country,” he added.
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