President Donald Trump is mourning the death of James “Jim” Copenhaver, one of the rallygoers seriously wounded during the 2024 assassination attempt against Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania.
Copenhaver, 76, died Wednesday at Allegheny Health Network’s West Penn Hospital in Pittsburgh, according to the Allegheny County medical examiner and his family’s attorney.
Copenhaver had survived being shot twice during the July 13, 2024, attack at the Butler Farm Show grounds, suffering devastating injuries that required multiple surgeries and continued to affect him for more than two years.
Trump paid tribute to Copenhaver on Thursday, calling him a “true American Patriot” and describing his death as a “tremendous loss.”
“More than two years ago in Butler, Pennsylvania, a crazed gunman attempted to stifle our America First Movement,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “Instead, Jim and so many other wonderful Patriots who love our Country, stood united in defense of our shared values of Freedom, Liberty, and Justice.”
Trump praised Copenhaver for the way he handled the difficult recovery that followed.
“Jim showed tremendous bravery, courageously continuing to FIGHT, FIGHT, FIGHT, and maintaining a positive spirit despite unimaginable hardships,” Trump wrote.
“His indelible legacy of love and devotion will forever endure. Our hearts and prayers are with the Copenhaver family, especially his incredible wife Marianne.”
Copenhaver was sitting in the bleachers behind Trump when 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks opened fire from the roof of a nearby building.
Trump was struck in the right ear before Secret Service agents surrounded him and rushed him from the stage.
Three spectators were also struck. Former Buffalo Township fire chief Corey Comperatore, 50, was killed while shielding his family from the gunfire.
Copenhaver and fellow rally attendee David Dutch were seriously wounded. Dutch survived. Crooks was killed by a Secret Service counter-sniper.
Copenhaver was struck in his arm and abdomen. His injuries proved extensive.
According to a federal lawsuit he later filed, the gunfire caused injuries to his abdomen, colon and kidney, along with nerve damage and other medical problems.
He underwent multiple operations, including surgery involving his colon, and spent weeks recovering in the hospital and a rehabilitation facility.
Even after returning home, Copenhaver continued experiencing physical effects from the attack. He lost feeling in part of one leg and needed a cane to walk.
His lawsuit described the injuries as “debilitating, grievous, permanent and life altering.”
Copenhaver’s family said he faced the lengthy recovery with determination.
“Throughout that difficult time, James faced every challenge with the same strength and resolve that defined his life, and the kindness shown by so many brought great comfort to him and to those who love him,” attorney Joseph Feldman said on behalf of the family.
The family described Copenhaver as a devoted husband, father and grandfather who emphasized hard work, integrity and service to others. He was also a military veteran.
“James’s dedication to this great country was a defining part of his life,” the family said. “As a veteran, he proudly served our nation in the armed forces, and his love of country never wavered.”
Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday subsequently said Copenhaver had died from “complications stemming from those wounds.”
Copenhaver’s death comes months after he and his wife, Marianne, filed a lawsuit against the federal government over the security failures surrounding the assassination attempt.
Dutch and his wife filed a similar lawsuit.
The lawsuits accuse the Secret Service and Department of Homeland Security of negligence and contend that federal authorities failed to properly secure the AGR International complex adjacent to the rally site — including the building Crooks ultimately climbed before opening fire.
The litigation points to congressional investigations that identified numerous security breakdowns surrounding the rally.
A bipartisan House task force investigating the assassination attempt found significant problems with planning, communications and coordination among the Secret Service and state and local law enforcement agencies.
The attack produced one of the defining images of the 2024 presidential campaign.
Moments after being shot, Trump stood as Secret Service agents surrounded him, raised his fist and repeatedly shouted “Fight!” before being taken from the stage.
Copenhaver was fighting for his own life only yards away.
Video later recovered from Copenhaver’s cellphone also provided investigators with a chilling perspective on the attack. Footage recorded shortly before the shooting showed a figure later identified as Crooks moving across the roof from which he would fire.
Copenhaver’s death drew condolences beyond Trump.
House Republicans said he had “endured unimaginable hardship with strength and perseverance” and offered prayers to his family.
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, a Democrat, also expressed condolences while again condemning political violence.
This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
