A DeviantArt account linked to would?be Trump assassin Thomas Matthew Crooks suggests the Butler shooter identified with “they/them” pronouns and was deeply involved in online “furry” fetish communities, according to a report from the New York Post.
Crooks, who attempted to assassinate President Donald Trump at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, reportedly operated under the usernames “epicmicrowave” and “theepicmicrowave” on DeviantArt — a platform widely known for hosting a large “furry” subculture, including explicit fetish art. The accounts featured Crooks’ apparent obsession with anthropomorphic cartoon characters drawn with muscular bodies and hyper?sexualized female heads.
The Post also reported that Crooks frequently interacted with another DeviantArt user known as “Willy Tepes,” an extremist profile previously uncovered by Tucker Carlson. In October 2025, the “Tepes” account claimed to be in contact with both American and Russian intelligence agencies and encouraged Crooks’ violent rhetoric.
“People who ask you to contact them when they just as easily could contact you are Feds,” the Tepes account wrote. “Both American and Russian intelligence does this. I have chatted to both.”
The user behind “Tepes” is reportedly connected to the Nordic Resistance Movement, which has been designated a terrorist organization by the U.S. State Department.
Despite this kind of activity, the FBI under then?Director Christopher Wray told Congress that investigators could not identify an ideological motive. Wray’s deputy Paul Abbate acknowledged Crooks had posted antisemitic and anti?immigration content and expressed political?violence themes — but the bureau insisted it could not determine a clear motive, framing Crooks as an isolated actor.
Sources who have reviewed the full scope of Crooks’ online accounts strongly dispute that characterization.
According to the Post, investigators have now uncovered at least 17 online accounts tied to Crooks across platforms including YouTube, Snapchat, GroupMe, Discord, Chess.com, Venmo, Zelle, Quizlet, Google Play, and Quora.
A source familiar with the digital footprint said Crooks’ radicalization was obvious and ignored for years.
“The danger Crooks posed was visible for years in public online spaces,” the source said. “His radicalization, violent rhetoric, and obsession with political violence were all documented under his real name. The threat wasn’t hidden.”
The source also pushed back against claims that Crooks was an unknowable lone wolf.
“He left a digital trail of violent threats, extremist ideology, and admiration for mass violence. He spoke openly of political assassination and was even flagged by other users who mentioned law enforcement in their replies.”
Despite this, Crooks’ DeviantArt profile reportedly remained online for more than five years — only being removed the day after the assassination attempt.
None of this activity was included in the final congressional report on the Butler shooting released in December 2024, a fact the source described as “deeply troubling.”
The post Thomas Matthew Crooks Used ‘They/Them’ Pronouns on DeviantArt, Linked Account Shows ‘Furry’ Fetish appeared first on Real News Now.
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