21-year-old Jason Kohler, speaking to NBC, described "loner" Crooks as someone who often found himself isolated and was a target for bullies during his high school years.
His attire, which frequently included hunting gear, made him a subject of mockery, and he was known to sit by himself during lunchtimes.
A graduate of Bethel Park High School in 2022, Crooks was acknowledged as one of more than a dozen students awarded the National Math and Science Initiative Star Award, according to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.
Michael Dudjak, 20, who attended school with Crooks for the majority of their lives, also recalled him as a reserved individual.
Dudjak noted that Crooks did not express his political views openly and maintained a low profile on social media platforms.
The FBI is conducting an extensive investigation to uncover his motives and delve into his past.
Authorities believe he used an AR-style rifle in the attempt on Trump, which was later recovered by officers.
Hailing from Bethel Park, a small community in Pennsylvania approximately 40 miles from the site of the Butler rally, Crooks was registered as a Republican voter, state voting records confirm.
When Dudjak found out Crooks was the gunman, he and his high school mates were stunned and couldn't fathom the news.
Speaking to NBC, Dudjak conveyed his shock: "It's definitely terrifying for someone you went to school with to commit such a heinous act ... that's the craziest thing about it when it entered my brain. You were in the same class as this person two years ago."
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