Thomas Matthew Crooks, a 20-year-old who opened fire on former President Donald Trump during a campaign rally in Pennsylvania, was seen wearing a t-shirt emblazoned with the logo of popular YouTube channel for gun enthusiasts, Demolition Ranch. The channel, founded by Matt Carriker, has distanced itself from Crooks, stating that the brand was not meant to incite violence or hate. Carriker expressed shock and disappointment in a video posted on the channel, emphasizing that violence is not condoned in any form.
The video posted by Demolition Ranch quickly garnered over 520,000 views within hours of its publication. The channel typically features videos related to guns, such as cooking a meal with a gun and testing the lethality of small firearms. Carriker stressed in the video that the channel’s merchandise, including t-shirts, are sold worldwide and they cannot vet every buyer. The t-shirts are printed in Carriker’s hometown and sold online for around $30, along with other accessories like hoodies and hats.
Crooks’ attack resulted in the death of one person and critical injuries to two others before he was shot and killed by Secret Service agents. Leading up to the attack, Crooks had visited a shooting range to practice firing and purchased ammunition from a gun store. He had also bought a five-foot ladder from a hardware store. Crooks was a resident of Bethel Park in Pittsburgh and had recently graduated from Bethel Park High School in 2022, according to local media reports and a video of the school’s graduation ceremony.
The law enforcement officials revealed that Crooks had been perched on a building rooftop outside the rally’s security perimeter when he opened fire on Trump. The fact that he was wearing a Demolition Ranch t-shirt during the assassination attempt raised concerns, prompting the channel’s founder to address the issue publicly. Carriker expressed regret over the association between the shooter and the brand, stating that they had never intended to promote violence or hate through their content.
Despite the negative association caused by Crooks wearing a Demolition Ranch t-shirt during the attack, Carriker emphasized that the channel’s mission was never to incite violence. The channel’s videos, which focus on firearms and gun-related activities, have a large following of over 11 million subscribers. Carriker acknowledged the difficulty in preventing such incidents and stated that they cannot control who purchases their merchandise. The brand’s online store features a range of products besides t-shirts, including hoodies, hats, stickers, and other accessories.
In conclusion, the incident involving Thomas Matthew Crooks’s assassination attempt on Donald Trump has raised questions about the potential influence of popular gun-related content like Demolition Ranch. The channel’s founder, Matt Carriker, condemned the violent actions of Crooks and reiterated that the brand does not support violence or hate. The tragic event highlighted the challenges of monitoring and controlling the distribution of merchandise associated with such online platforms. Efforts to clarify the channel’s stance on violence and distance themselves from the shooter have been made in the aftermath of the attack, emphasizing a commitment to promoting responsible gun ownership and safety.
