Thomas Bruce: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know

Thomas Bruce has been identified as the man who police say shot a woman in the head after attempting to sexually assault her at a Catholic Supply store in St. Louis County, Missouri. The 53-year-old suspect also forced two other women to strip naked at gunpoint and he sexually assaulted them during the brazen midday attack at the religious merchandise store, according to police.

The horror unfolded inside the store at 3:20 p.m. on November 19. The shooting victim, also 53, died later at a local hospital. Bruce fled from the scene before police arrived, authorities said.

During a press conference on the evening of November 19, St. Louis County police Sgt. Shawn McGuire said investigators had “no idea” of the motive for the crime. Sgt. McGuire urged anyone with any information regarding the incident to come forward with information. He added, “We have a loose, armed gunman out there who’s already shot one person.”

Bruce was arrested in Imperial, Missouri, on November 21. Bruce has been charged with 17 counts, including first-degree murder, three counts of first-degree sodomy, three counts of first-degree kidnapping, eight counts of armed criminal action, and one count each of first-degree burglary and tampering with evidence. He is being held at the St. Louis County Jail. He could potentially face the death penalty.

Here’s what you need to know:

1. Bruce Previously Worked at the Jewish Community Center of Greater St. Louis & Volunteered as a Pastor at a Missouri County Jail

According to Bruce’s LinkedIn page, his most recent job was an agent with American Family Insurance. Speaking to KMOV, Bruce’s employer said he had not heard from the suspect in 12 days. Previously, between August 2013 and March 2014, Bruce worked as a customer services specialist with the Jewish Community Center of Greater St. Louis as well as being a manager at Schnucks store.

Online documents show that Bruce filed for bankruptcy in January 2017. That filing lists Bruce as having a spouse, Diane. Records show that Bruce, who goes by Tom Bruce and Thomas Bruce Senior, also has a son.

393813203-Thomas-Bruce-Bankruptcy.pdf

Bruce also says that he is a Navy veteran, serving between 1983 and 1994 in addition to being a pastor at Cape County Jail. In his Navy career, Bruce says he was an avionics technician. Under the duties heading, Bruce wrote, “Too many to name.” Bruce also spent a year in morale welfare and recreation on the USS Kitty Hawk CV-63. KSDK’s Brandon Merano reports that Bruce is a lifetime member of the Arnold VFW. Bruce writes in the intro to his LinkedIn, “World traveled leader with the ability to turn the extraordinary into the ordinary. US Navy Veteran wit ha great desire and passion to serve others needs.”

In 2014, Bruce says that he graduated from Ranken Technical College with an associates degree in Applied Science. Bruce studied at the Calvary Chapel Bible College between 1992 and 2000. Bruces wrote about his time there saying, “Loved it.”

Police raided Bruce’s trailer home in Imperial, Missouri, early Wednesday morning. According to KMOV-TV, police swarmed the Geranium Drive residence about 5 a.m., with as many as 100 officers at the scene from several departments. Photos of the scene showed police searching the home as American and Gadsden “Don’t Tread on Me” flags flapped in front of the house.

Bruce regularly retweets politically conservative pundits including Laura Ingraham, Candace Owens and Charles Payne. Bruce’s last visible tweet was to a woman who tweeted a list of Republicans who are up for reelection in 2000. The message read, “We will not forget you.” Bruce responded, “I’ve already forgotten you. #promisesmade #promiseskept #trump2020 #BuildTheWall.”

Around the time of the hearing about sexual assault accusations against Justice Brett Kavanaugh, Bruce tweeted several times about those who have been accused being innocent until proven guilty. He also tweeted several times about what he considers to be the left’s hypocrisy around sexual assault.

“Keith Ellison, Joe Biden, and Bill Clinton are prime examples of the lefts false and phoney outrage….they circle the wagons on their own who are guilty but hammer the women who dare to speak out against a democrat,” he tweeted.

He also retweeted an Owens tweeted that read, “If you are an actual victim of rape or sexual assault— I am sorry that you have had to watch the left politicize, diminish and demean your experience for political gain. These are mentally sick people who have just placed an awful burden on the integrity of your experiences.”

In one tweet, he wrote, “So are you implying that a person is guilty because someone else claims that they did something to them? Without a trial? That’s not what our constitution says.” In another, he mocked accusers, writing in a tweet directed at Ingraham, “#MAGA I’m starting to remember that in 1985-1988, I served in the US Navy on two separate aircraft carriers in the greater San Francisco area. While there, I was victimized several times by fine steen and pee lousy.”

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