Thomas Crooks, the individual who attempted to assassinate former President Donald Trump at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, has been linked to online accounts on the platform DeviantArt, which hosts sexually explicit content featuring “furry” characters. According to reports, Crooks used “they/them” pronouns on the site and maintained two accounts under the usernames “epicmicrowave” and “theepicmicrowave.” These accounts reportedly depicted cartoonish animal characters with muscular male bodies and female heads, suggesting an interest in gender identity and anthropomorphic imagery.

Crooks also interacted with a Norwegian national associated with the Nordic Resistance Movement, a group designated as a terrorist organization by the U.S. State Department. The individual, identified as “Willy Tepes,” encouraged violence and referenced the Maoist phrase “Political power comes from the barrel of a gun,” which Crooks repeated multiple times. In a comment dated October 5, 2025, more than a year after the Butler event, Tepes claimed to have been contacted by both Russian and American intelligence.

The FBI has stated that Crooks acted alone in the assassination attempt, with no evidence of co-conspirators or foreign involvement. Investigators noted that Crooks had a pattern of tracking high-profile mass shootings and violent events, leading sources to speculate that he may have adopted the name of a private joke. The reports also highlighted his interest in “furry” art and gender identity, mirroring similar behaviors observed in other individuals linked to violent incidents.

The findings come amid renewed scrutiny following Tucker Carlson’s forensic examination of Crooks’ online footprint, including his political evolution from Trump supporter to rabid leftist. Prior to this, very little was known about Crooks, leading to allegations of an FBI cover-up and various conspiracy theories.