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Thomas Matthew Crooks tested his shooting prowess at a western Pennsylvania gun range just weeks before last Saturday’s attempted assassination of former President Trump, according to a report.
Bill Jenkins said he practiced his firearms skills immediately next to Crooks at the Keystone Shooting Center in Cranberry on June 22 – mere weeks before the July 13 attack, The Sun reported.
“I was sitting next to evil,” Jenkins told the outlet. “I haven’t been able to sleep thinking about it.”
Jenkins, who said he has been interviewed by the FBI, recalled the class instructor extolling Trump during the session – a glorification that may have contributed to Crooks’ determination to carry out the plot.
TRUMP SHOOTER’S SHOCKED TEACHER REVEALS DETAILS OF HIS COLLEGE LIFE
Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, reportedly practiced at this shooting range before he opened fire at a Pennsylvania rally, injuring Donald Trump and killing a bystander. (AFP handout | Google maps)
“It turns out the instructor and I are Trump supporters,” he said. “We talked about how our country was good under Trump. Our borders were secure, the economy was strong, we were energy independent, and he got things done. I noticed at the time that the kid wasn’t saying anything one way or another, but I could see him smirking.”
In hindsight, Jenkins believes Crooks was muting his animus toward Trump – and that the conversation may well have helped to motivate his assault.
“It’s crossed my mind – did that conversation help push him over the edge?” he said. “It freaks me out a little because a person has died.”
The 20-year-old, who had planned to pursue engineering in college, showed advanced skills on the shooting range, blowing holes in targets from significant distances, Jenkins told the newspaper.
SEN. BLACKBURN BLASTS SECRET SERVICE DIRECTOR FOR PRIORITIZING PARTY OVER ATTEMPTED-ASSASSINATION PROBE
Donald Trump arrives at Trump Tower, May 30, 2024 after being found guilty on 34 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree. (Felipe Ramales for Fox News Digital)
Crooks’ shocking volley at the Trump rally grazed Trump in the ear, fatally struck rally goer Corey Comperatore, and injured two others.
Snipers cut him down soon after he launched his attack.
Jenkins, 62, an Air Force veteran, said he was stunned to learn that his training partner had nearly felled a former president.
“This guy killed a man with a wife and kids and almost plunged the country into chaos by killing Donald Trump,” he said.
The pair’s class lasted for several hours, with Crooks showing a clear familiarity and facility for firearms throughout, Jenkins noted.
“When we went to the range, he started shooting straight away,” he said. “It seemed like he had experience with weapons.”
HOUSE GOP LEADERS DEMAND ACCOUNTABILITY ON TRUMP ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT: ‘SO MANY QUESTIONS’
Thomas Matthews Crooks opened fire on former President Trump at a rally in Pennsylvania on July 13, 2024. (Google maps | Handout | Wires)
Crooks brought his own 9mm handgun to class and dressed in a T-shirt and jeans, the outlet reported.
The long-haired gunman said little but was polite throughout, Jenkins recalled.
After yet another accurate target strike, Jenkins lauded his younger counterpart.
“I congratulated him on how good he’d done, and he just laughed,” Jenkins said.
Investigators have yet to reveal a motive for the assassination attempt and are continuing to comb through Crooks’ background.
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Boston Celtics
Giannis Antetokounmpo’s trade rumors seem to evolve weekly, but two teams have been linked to the former NBA champion and league MVP more than any others: the Boston Celtics and Miami Heat.
Since trade rumors initially picked up early in the offseason, it’s believed that Antetokounmpo’s preferred trade destination is a title contender in the Eastern Conference. Outside of the obvious Knicks, who are up 2-0 in the NBA Finals, there are a handful of teams that fit that bill: Detroit, Cleveland, Philadelphia, and Orlando could be considered in that tier of Eastern Conference teams.
However, most teams that have the assets to trade for Antetokounmpo would need to gut the better parts of their lineup in order to make a legal trade happen, and that would make them less likely to be contenders.
That’s the advantage Boston seemingly possesses over just about every other team Antetokounmpo would be willing to play for: its roster would not be depleted in the process of acquiring the ‘Greek Freak’.
Speaking on the Dan Patrick Show, The Athletic’s Sam Amick said the rumors of Antetokounmpo to the Celtics have some serious traction, at least on Antetokounmpo’s end.
“Miami is the loudest noise, you continue to hear that … yes, it appears everybody you talk to says Miami at the deadline had a deal that was close,” Amick said. “So the noise is tied to Miami, but there’s also some understanding that Giannis has questions about what that Miami roster would look like on the other side of the deal.
“I think the Celtics are a pretty intriguing option in terms of being competitive,” Amick added. “This is something we’ve heard from Giannis’s side that the intrigue is real. The respect for Joe Mazzulla, the way that he might see that roster. Do I think it changes things? I don’t know yet. But I think it’s worth watching.”
The seemingly obvious piece for Boston to send back, whether to the Bucks or a third involved team, is Jaylen Brown. Brown has a similar contract to Antetokounmpo’s, and is a quality enough player that he could be the only player the Celtics trade away in the deal, giving them plenty of runway to compete for a championship in the aftermath.
So, from a salary cap-balancing perspective, the trade could be done easily. But Boston will have other factors to consider. Does the fit with Antetokounmpo and Jayson Tatum together make sense and will it lead to a better title shot? And, even if Brad Stevens thinks it is, does it make sense to trade away your longest tenured player who has already proven he can win a championship alongside Tatum.
Brown’s name has been dangled in a few different rumored trade scenarios over the last few offseasons, but no other occasion has had this much traction behind it.
And for the Bucks, trading Antetokounmpo appears to be a near-certainty at this juncture.
“It seems very likely … it’s not often you have an owner publicly framing the timeline, and that’s what Jimmy Haslem did. We just saw Jimmy Haslem do a blockbuster trade with Myles Garrett in the NFL, showing he’s certainly ready to pull that trigger if he needs to. I do expect it to happen.”
So the Heat and Celtics, who have built quite a fierce rivalry in the 21st century, and especially with their recent playoff clashes, will be pitted against each other once more. This time, Antetokounmpo is up for grabs.
Stevens entered the offseason saying he’d do everything in his power to make Boston a more competitive team and bring them another championship. He also said he’d take a dunk over a 3-pointer on every possession if he could. If he lands Antetokounmpo, he just might get both his wishes.
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PHOTO BY DAVE BRYCE PHOTOGRAPHY
From warm maple and mossy green finishes on its cabinetry to the brass plumbing fixtures on the sink, the kitchen of this Treesdale home in Adams Township is all about natural warmth and soft color.
It’s a space that architect Robert Gaskill of Gaskill Architecture, who spearheaded the renovation project, describes as timeless and collected.
“The classic cabinetry, use of natural stone, brass hardware and rich, warm maple wood tone has been relevant for decades and will continue to age beautifully,” Gaskill says. “Rather than leaning into trendy design elements, this kitchen design focuses on authenticity. The layered materials give this kitchen timeless character, which makes it feel as if it evolved over time rather than being tied to a specific moment.”
PHOTO BY DAVE BRYCE PHOTOGRAPHY
The kitchen’s ageless design led to it being named Best Renovated Kitchen in Pittsburgh Magazine’s Best of Design contest.
“I think the kitchen feels really cozy; it’s going to be a great place for people to gather,” says judge Katie Savakis, a project designer at Vocon’s Cleveland office. “This kitchen feels very Ralph Lauren, but in the best way.”
Judge Crystal Knapik, an architect and senior associate at CannonDesign in St. Louis, also praised the contrast in the materials.
“I like how they choose that mossy green to be the main character of the kitchen,” she says. “They balanced the dark tones with the bright white ceiling and the white marble on the island.”
Art Rectenwald purchased the home in 2022 and shares it with his wife, Irinia, and his daughter, Annabelle. (“Plus two dogs, two cats, ten chickens and five horses,” he adds.)
The kitchen renovation originally wasn’t part of an overall home addition, but as the project evolved, it became clear the existing builder-grade space wasn’t going to cut it. Rectenwald says that the previous kitchen was “bland and low quality,” but calls the updated space “cozy, beautiful and efficient.”
PHOTO BY DAVE BRYCE PHOTOGRAPHY
Irina Rectenwald is an architect specializing in environmental design, and her husband says her vision and research provided the primary inspiration for the space. Gaskill seconds this, adding that the selections were “heavily guided by the homeowners’ aesthetic preferences and style.”
The cabinetry pairs a warm maple finish on the range wall and island with a mossy green painted finish on the side elevations. The refrigerator is fully integrated within tall maple cabinetry, allowing it to blend seamlessly into the design. Two tiled towers also frame the range wall, introducing texture while creating niches for displaying personal objects.
“The tiled corner niches are my favorite,” Rectenwald says. “Our corners now display sculptures and artwork versus blenders and coffee makers.”
The homeowners add it feels good to know that their vision, and the hard work that went into bringing the space to life, is appreciated.
“The finished product is everything and more of what we hoped for,” Rectenwald says. “Every detail turned out how we envisioned or better.”
Vendors
Architectural Design: Gaskill Architecture
Interior Design: Gaskill Architecture
General Contractor: TK Construction
Cabinetry: Beahm and Son Ltd. Custom Cabinetry
Fixtures: Brizo
Countertops: Top It Off Granite
Tile: The Tile Shop
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