Investment master BlackRock is taking away an ad that featured Thomas Crooks, the gunman who shot at former president Donald Trump, injuring him and killing an attendee at a rally near Pittsburgh on Saturday.
“In 2022, we ran an ad featuring a teacher from Bethel Park High School, in which several unpaid students briefly appeared in the background, including Thomas Matthew Crooks,” a spokesperson for the company said Sunday. “We will make all video footage available to the appropriate authorities, and we have removed the video from circulation out of respect for the victims.”
The half-minute video, which centered on a teacher at the high school with Thomas Crooks sitting in the class, went viral on X, formerly known as Twitter, and other social media platforms on Sunday. Watch below:
BlackRock stood against the assassination attempt on Republican candidate Trump as “abhorrent” and expressed gratitude that he wasn’t seriously injured.
“As our leadership team communicated to colleagues last night, BlackRock strongly condemns political violence of any kind and will do our part to promote civility and unity in the country,” the company said.
BlackRock is a major investor in gun companies, including Sturm Ruger and American Outdoor Brand, the owner of Smith & Wesson.
The world’s largest money manager announced that its assets under management had reached a record of $10.6 trillion in its quarterly earnings reported on Monday.