“He bought a shirt online, and unfortunately wore it that day,” Demolition Ranch founder Matt Carriker said in a video posted to his channel, which is popular among gun enthusiasts.
A Texas gun influencer — who is the founder of the YouTube channel Demolition Ranch — is speaking out after the man who opened fire at former President Donald Trump at his Pennsylvania rally was spotted wearing a t-shirt with the brand’s logo.
On Monday, Demolition Ranch founder Matt Carriker shared a video to his channel — which is popular among gun enthusiasts — to distance himself and his brand from 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, who was identified as the gunman who attempted to assassinate Trump at his rally in Butler, Pennsylvania on Saturday.
In the nearly six-minute video, Carriker addressed his 11 million subscribers and introduced himself to new viewers, before sharing his reaction to seeing Crooks wearing a Demolition Ranch t-shirt.
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“Across the board, across all my videos, we really don’t talk about politics at all. We keep politics out of it,” he prefaced. “For one, it’s not my bread and butter, but also I don’t feel the need to impose my political views and beliefs on other people.”
“However, we were thrust into the conversation after last weekend,” he continued.
Carriker added, “We were shocked and confused to find this out: The shooter who tried to assassinate Trump was wearing merch from my channel, wearing a Demolition Ranch t-shirt. And that sucked to see that. Yeah, that was rough.”
Carriker — who also has a few other channels and is a veterinarian — said his t-shirt company is based in his hometown in Texas, noting that the merchandise is printed there and shipped “all around the world.”
“We don’t vet the people who buy our shirts, obviously, it would be impossible to,” he explained, adding that he would “love to keep people like [Crooks] from buying, wearing, being associated with that article of clothing.”
“I wish he couldn’t get a shirt, but it happened,” Carriker said.
“To see my name next to the shooter’s name … ugh, it sucks. And I wish we could keep that from happening,” he continued.
“No matter what side you’re on politically, none of us want violence. This channel was never meant to incite violence or hate,” Carriker added. “It never has. It isn’t, and it never will be, a channel that does that.”
According to Carriker, news outlets have been reaching out to ask him about any alleged relationship with the shooter, including if they’ve met.
“No. He bought a shirt online, and unfortunately wore it that day,” he concluded, before going on to add that seeing his name alongside Trump and the shooter was “not on [his] 2024 bingo card.”
Meanwhile, earlier in the video, Carriker sent his condolences to the victim of the rally shooting, and the two other rallygoers who were injured.
“I’m so sorry for your loss,” he said. “It’s terrible, and I hate that that happened to him and to you guys, and [I’m] wishing you guys the best from here. That’s the worst. For those who were injured in the shooting as well, wishing you guys a speedy recovery, praying for [a] pain-free recovery for you as well — both physically and mentally.”
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As shown in video footage, on Saturday, Crooks opened fire from a rooftop near the Butler rally. He was fatally shot by Secret Service agents only seconds later.
The gunfire struck Trump in the ear, wounded two rally attendees and killed one rallygoer, who was later identified as Corey Comperatore, a volunteer firefighter and married father of two.
As for Crooks, the Federal Bureau of Investigation identified the 20-year-old as the subject involved in the assassination attempt.
A law enforcement official told CNN that Crooks was photographed wearing the Demolition Ranch t-shirt at an ammunition store, in addition to at the shooting.
According to USA Today, Pennsylvania voting records show Crooks as a registered Republican, and his voter registration status has been active since 2021. He does not have a criminal record in Pennsylvania.
TMZ released photos of Crooks, including an image from what appeared to be his high school graduation. According to the New York Times, Crooks graduated from Bethel Park High School in 2022.
FBI has not released any further details, including motive. The investigation is ongoing.
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