The Clairton Sportsmen’s Club in Pennsylvania has come under scrutiny following revelations that attempted Trump assassin Thomas Crooks practiced shooting there just a day before the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) conducted a training exercise at the same range. This comes just two months prior to Crooks opening fire at a Trump rally, injuring the former president and killing a bystander.
According to a club logbook obtained by Sen. Chuck Grassley’s (R-IA) office, Crooks, 20, visited the Clairton Sportsmen’s Club on May 22 at around 3:10 pm. He spent his time practicing alone at the rifle range. The very next day, DHS conducted a “police training” at the same location, with at least three participants attending.
The rifle range at Clairton measures 200 yards in length—more than sufficient for Crooks to prepare for the 150-yard shot he took at Trump on July 13. While it remains uncertain whether DHS regularly held trainings at this range, or if the May 23 visit was an uncommon occurrence, Crooks himself was a frequent visitor, practicing there dozens of times since joining in August 2023.
Across his 43 documented visits to the Club, Crooks spent 80% of his time at the rifle range—a fact that Grassley’s office suggests highlights “intense preparation” for his assassination attempt on Trump. During his membership, Crooks visited the club between three and six times per month, never once bringing a guest with him, and even attended on holidays like Halloween, Christmas, and Valentine’s Day. His final visit was on July 12 at 2:45 pm—the day before he fired upon Trump’s rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, ultimately leading to his death as he was shot by Secret Service snipers.
No motive has yet been discovered for Crooks’ assassination plot. The club is located approximately 30 minutes away from Crooks’ hometown of Bethel Park and just over an hour from the rally grounds. Records from his visits were made available to Grassley’s office following a congressional request.
Despite the connection between Crooks, DHS, and the Clairton Sportsmen’s Club, the club has declined to comment on either individual or their use of the facility, citing the ongoing investigation into the shooting incident.