Thomas Matthew Crooks, the 20-year-old gunman who shot and injured former President Donald Trump at a Pennsylvania rally, briefly appeared in an advertisement for BlackRock Inc., the company announced on Sunday.
According to BlackRock, the world’s largest money manager, Crooks was among several students who appeared in the background of a 2022 advertisement filmed at Bethel Park High School, where he graduated that same year. Crooks was unpaid for his appearance, the company noted in a statement.
While BlackRock did not detail the content of the advertisement, they stated that the footage would be provided to authorities and removed from circulation. The company also strongly condemned the Saturday attack that resulted in one death and critically injured two others.
“The assassination attempt on former President Trump is abhorrent. We’re thankful former President Trump wasn’t seriously injured, and our thoughts are with all the innocent bystanders and victims of this horrific act, especially the person who was killed,” the statement read.
BlackRock is set to report earnings on Monday. The company has faced scrutiny in the past following shootings in the US, as some of its index funds hold shares in gun manufacturers.
