The Evil Lurking Next Door: Neighbors Grapple with Thomas Crooks' Actions

In the aftermath of Thomas Crooks' attempt to assassinate former President Trump, neighbors in his quiet Pennsylvania community are struggling to process the realization that such a sinister plot was hatched so close to their homes.

Over a week after Thomas Matthew Crooks' chilling act of violence at a Trump rally in Pennsylvania, where he narrowly missed killing the former president, his neighbors are grappling with the unsettling truth that "evil" lurked just down the street.

"That's sheer fear. If [Trump] had his head turned, he would've had his brains blown out, and that was manufactured around the corner from my house," said one neighbor, who lives a mere stone's throw from the Crooks residence. "We're always going to have a scar from what happened and how close to us [it was]."

The Evil Lurking Next Door: Neighbors Grapple with Thomas Crooks' Actions

The woman, who regularly runs through the neighborhood, recounted her encounters with Crooks, who would often ignore her friendly overtures. She expressed shock at learning that the perpetrator of such heinous deeds lived so close to her. "It ended up being closer. All of a sudden, it's a neighbor," she said.

Another neighbor shared a similar experience of Crooks' aloof behavior, recalling how he would ignore her attempts to make polite conversation. The news of the shooting just 40 minutes away initially shocked her, but the realization that Crooks lived even closer made it "surreal."

The Evil Lurking Next Door: Neighbors Grapple with Thomas Crooks' Actions

An elderly neighbor down the street painted a different picture, describing Crooks' helpfulness with household chores. "You get shocked, but you also get mad that something like this happened," she said.

Despite the heavy police presence that still lingers in the neighborhood, residents are relieved that things are finally calming down. After the shooting, police evacuated those living closest to the Crooks home on Milford Drive for 24 hours due to a bomb investigation. The evacuation order and subsequent police presence left a lasting impact on the quiet community.

The Evil Lurking Next Door: Neighbors Grapple with Thomas Crooks' Actions

One neighbor recalled the swarm of law enforcement vehicles and reporters that descended upon their street. "My wife and I used to watch police shows on TV," he said. "I would always ask her, jokingly, 'Why don't they stumble into our neighborhood and break down doors.' … It was a heavy police presence."

Another neighbor described the intense questioning by FBI agents, who wanted to know about any unusual activity or noises they noticed coming from the Crooks residence. Investigators visited the Crooks home several times over the past week, but the family remains tight-lipped. Packages remain on the doorstep for days before being brought inside, and mail carriers do not appear to be delivering mail to the family's mailbox.

The Evil Lurking Next Door: Neighbors Grapple with Thomas Crooks' Actions

Despite the proximity of the Crooks home, none of the neighbors interviewed by Fox News Digital seemed to know the family or their infamous son personally. "I still feel very safe around here," a neighbor said. "I still feel safe, I just ... I'm very disappointed that this is what Bethel Park is going to be known for."

As the neighborhood slowly returns to its former tranquility, the scars of Crooks' actions will undoubtedly linger. The realization that such a sinister plot was hatched so close to home has left an unsettling reminder that evil can lurk in the most unexpected places.

The Evil Lurking Next Door: Neighbors Grapple with Thomas Crooks' Actions