BlackRock has a link to the recently failed assassination of former ruler Donald Trump. Thomas Matthew Crooks, the suspect in Saturday’s attempted assassination, was featured in a 2022 ad for BlackRock, the investment giant has revealed.

The commercial was filmed at Bethel Park High School, from which Crooks graduated two years ago. The then-teenager appeared in the background alongside several other students and was not compensated in any way, the company claimed.

Crooks was shot and killed by United States Secret Service officers after discharging multiple rounds at the presumptive Republican presidential candidate, while he was giving a speech at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania. BlackRock disclosed the prior connection with the gunman in a statement on Sunday, according to a report by RT. 

“The assassination attempt on former President Trump is abhorrent,” BlackRock stressed. “We’re thankful former President Trump wasn’t seriously injured, and thinking about all the innocent bystanders and victims of this awful act, especially the person who was killed.”

BlackRock further stated that it would take the ad out of circulation and share all available footage with relevant authorities.

Crooks opened fire at the Trump rally from the roof of a nearby industrial building. Witnesses have claimed that they tried to alert police about an armed man “bear-crawling” towards his shooting position several minutes before the gun was fired. Trump’s ear was grazed by a bullet, one person was killed, and two others were critically injured in the crowd of his supporters.

Did this push the U.S. closer to a political civil war? Did the failure prevent violence or ignite it?

Inches From A Civil War? Trump’s Assassination Attempt

It is difficult to say, but statists are more divided than ever and seemingly ready to explode at any moment, however, the “right” side of the paradigm lie seems less likely to pop off, as opposed to the “left” side.