25-09-2026
Jim Copenhaver, 76, one of the attendees wounded in the 13 July 2024 shooting at Donald Trump’s campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, has died from complications related to his injuries. The Pennsylvania attorney general said he was one of three rally attendees shot when Thomas Crooks opened fire from a nearby rooftop. Corey Comperatore was killed at the scene, and a bullet grazed Trump’s ear. Crooks, who was 20, was killed by Secret Service agents.
Copenhaver died Wednesday at a Pittsburgh hospital, according to a statement from the Allegheny County medical examiner shared with local media. Trump paid tribute to him on Truth Social, calling him a “true American patriot” and expressing condolences to his wife, Marianne, and the family. A lawyer for the family said Copenhaver’s service in the armed forces and devotion to the United States were defining parts of his life.
In an interview with CBS one year after the shooting, Copenhaver and fellow wounded attendee David Dutch described their recovery, including infections and surgeries. Copenhaver had been shot in the arm and abdomen. At the time of the interview, a bullet remained lodged near his spine, and he was walking with a cane. Copenhaver and Dutch filed lawsuits against the federal government in June, alleging that the Secret Service failed to protect them and should be held liable for their injuries. On Friday, Republicans in the US House of Representatives also paid tribute to Copenhaver, praising his strength and perseverance.
Entities: Jim Copenhaver, Donald Trump, Corey Comperatore, Thomas Crooks, David Dutch • Tone: neutral • Sentiment: negative • Intent: inform
25-09-2026
James Copenhaver, 76, who was wounded during the July 13, 2024, assassination attempt on Donald Trump at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, died on Sept. 23, 2026. Copenhaver was sitting in the bleachers when gunfire struck his arm and abdomen. He spent a week in hospital and used a colostomy bag for at least a year, according to his friend Albert Quaye. The Allegheny County medical examiner’s office said the cause of death was under investigation.
Quaye said Copenhaver had recovered from his injuries and was living independently without difficulty. His recovery included progressing from a walker to a cane and eventually standing without assistance; he later no longer needed the colostomy bag. Quaye described him as a happy person and recalled their friendship, which began around 2021 after Copenhaver raised concerns at a local meeting about a development project near his home. Copenhaver was retired, participated in a military banner committee in Moon Township, and played in a band. Records indicate he was married and had at least one son; his family could not immediately be reached for comment.
House Republicans expressed condolences to Copenhaver’s family in a post on X. The attack also wounded Trump and critically injured David Dutch, a US Marine Corps veteran. It killed Corey Comperatore, a father of two. The gunman, Thomas Crooks, was shot and killed by the Secret Service. The article was originally published by The New York Times, with additional reporting by Christina Morales.
Entities: James Copenhaver, Donald Trump, Albert Quaye, David Dutch, Corey Comperatore • Tone: neutral • Sentiment: negative • Intent: inform
25-09-2026
James Copenhaver, one of the people seriously injured in the July 13, 2024, shooting at Donald Trump’s campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, has died at age 76. His family informed CNN of his death. The Allegheny County Office of the Medical Examiner said Copenhaver died at a hospital on Wednesday; the cause of death was not disclosed. Copenhaver was from Moon Township.
Trump paid tribute to Copenhaver in a post on Truth Social, calling him an “American Patriot and Warrior” and expressing condolences to his family. The shooting occurred while Trump, then the Republican presidential nominee, was speaking to thousands of supporters. A gunman fired from a nearby roof, striking Trump in the ear. Trump was quickly taken from the stage, with blood visible on his face.
Copenhaver and another attendee were seriously wounded in the attack. Corey Comperatore, 50, was killed. The gunman, identified as 20-year-old Thomas Crooks, fired eight rounds before being shot and killed by a US Secret Service counter-sniper team. Trump survived the attack, continued his 2024 presidential campaign and later returned to the presidency after winning the election. The report does not state that Copenhaver’s death was caused by his injuries from the shooting; it says only that he had been injured in the attack and later died, with his cause of death undisclosed.
Entities: James Copenhaver, Donald Trump, Corey Comperatore, Thomas Crooks, CNN • Tone: neutral • Sentiment: neutral • Intent: inform
