FILE – A campaign rally site for former President Donald Trump, the Republican presidential candidate, sits empty and littered with debris on July 13, 2024, in Butler, Pennsylvania. Evan Vucci/AP hide caption toggle caption Evan Vucci/AP James Copenhaver, one of three campaign rally attendees shot in 2024 during an assassination attempt on then-candidate Donald Trump, died in Pittsburgh, his attorney said Thursday. He was 76 years old. Copenhaver was in the stands during the event in Butler, Pennsylvania, when a 20-year-old gunman opened fire from a nearby rooftop, grazing Trump’s right ear with a bullet. Copenhaver was hit in the arm and abdomen, injuries that left him with lingering injuries and walking with a cane. Two other attendees were also shot: David Dutch, who survived, and Corey Comperatore, who protected his family from gunfire and died. Copenhaver died Wednesday at Allegheny Health Network’s West Penn Hospital in Pittsburgh, according to a statement from the Allegheny County medical examiner cited in local media reports. Copenhaver’s attorney, Joseph Feldman, said in a statement issued on behalf of the family that he died surrounded by his loved ones. The statement does not specify whether his death was directly related to the injuries he suffered at the rally. Copenhaver and his wife, Marianne Copenhaver, sued the federal government in June, alleging that the Secret Service and the Department of Homeland Security had “completely failed” to provide adequate security at the rally. Copenhaver’s injuries required multiple surgeries, including a section of his colon, and he had persistent kidney damage and other damage, including a loss of feeling in his leg. The lawsuit described the injuries as “debilitating, severe, permanent and life-altering.” The family’s statement Thursday called Copenhaver, above all, a devoted husband, father and grandfather who instilled in his children the values of hard work, integrity and service to others. “James’ dedication to this great country was a defining part of his life,” it said. “As a veteran, he proudly served our nation in the armed forces and his love of country never wavered. James was a true American patriot who believed deeply in the freedoms and ideals on which this nation was founded, and he embodied the best traits of our great nation.” In a statement posted on social media, Trump on Thursday called Copenhaver “a true American patriot.” “Jim showed tremendous bravery, continued to fight bravely, FIGHT, FIGHT, and maintained a positive spirit despite unimaginable hardships,” Trump wrote.
