Jim Copenhaver, one of two spectators seriously wounded during the attempted assassination of President Donald Trump at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13, 2024, has reportedly died.
The announcement was made on X by Ken Silva, author of a book on the assassination attempts against Trump that began with him nearly being killed during a rally in Butler, Pa.
Copenhaver wrote a foreword to the book, which is titled “The Trump Assassination Plots.”
Copenhaver, of Moon Township, Pennsylvania, was 74 when he attended the rally at the Butler Farm Show grounds and was struck by gunfire after Thomas Matthew Crooks opened fire from the roof of a nearby building.
An authoritative announcement confirming Copenhaver’s death, including his age, date of death, and cause, had not surfaced in major or local news reporting as of Thursday morning.
Copenhaver was one of three spectators struck by gunfire during the attack.
Corey Comperatore, a 50-year-old former volunteer fire chief, was killed while shielding members of his family. David Dutch, then 57, was seriously wounded, while Trump was struck in the right ear.
The Pennsylvania State Police identified Copenhaver the day after the shooting as a Moon Township resident who had suffered serious injuries in the attack.
He was initially hospitalized at Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh.
Copenhaver suffered two gunshot wounds, including injuries to his abdomen and arm.
His family described the wounds at the time as “life-altering” and thanked the first responders, medical personnel, and hospital employees who treated him.
I’ve got very sad news: Jim Copenhaver, who was shot at the Butler Trump rally on July 13, 2024, has died.
I don’t have many details at this point, but it’s no secret that Jim was dealing with permanent injuries from Butler—including having bullet fragments still inside of him.… pic.twitter.com/37nRhQfcla
— Ken Silva (@JD_Cashless) September 24, 2026
The family also said Copenhaver was praying for Trump and the other victims of the shooting.
After spending more than two weeks in the hospital, Copenhaver was discharged from Allegheny General Hospital in early August 2024 and continued his recovery at home.
The effects of the shooting persisted long after he left the hospital.
Copenhaver later said he lost approximately 30 pounds, experienced recurring stomach pain, and needed a cane to walk.
In an October 2024 interview, he and Dutch publicly criticized the security arrangements at the rally and said they believed failures by the Secret Service allowed the attack to occur.
Before the shooting, Copenhaver had worked as a manager for Pennsylvania’s state liquor-store system and had become increasingly involved in civic affairs in Moon Township.
A local official told the Butler Eagle following the shooting that Copenhaver regularly attended township meetings and served on the community’s military banner committee. His son was an Air Force officer, and Copenhaver was married and had several grandchildren.
Nearly a year after the attack, Copenhaver and Dutch reunited with members of Comperatore’s family and continued pressing for answers about how Crooks was able to reach an unsecured rooftop with a clear line of sight to Trump.
Copenhaver recalled being struck while sitting in the bleachers behind Trump.
The attack left the three families connected by an event that became one of the defining moments of the 2024 presidential campaign.
Their effort to obtain accountability eventually moved into federal court.
In June 2026, Copenhaver and Dutch separately sued the United States, alleging that failures by the Secret Service contributed directly to the injuries they suffered in Butler.
Copenhaver’s lawsuit said he suffered injuries to his abdomen, spine and left arm and sought damages from the federal government. His wife, Marianne Copenhaver, also joined his lawsuit.
The complaints described the assassination attempt as preventable and alleged a series of security failures before and during Trump’s appearance.
Investigations by Congress subsequently identified significant breakdowns surrounding the rally’s security planning and communication.
Crooks, 20, fired from the roof of the American Glass Research building roughly 150 yards from where Trump was speaking. A Secret Service counter-sniper fatally shot Crooks seconds after he opened fire.
Copenhaver himself had recorded video shortly before the attack that appeared to show Crooks moving across the roof from which the shots were later fired.
The attack killed Comperatore, wounded Copenhaver and Dutch and injured Trump.
Copenhaver’s death, once independently confirmed, would mark the loss of a second person who was struck by Crooks’ gunfire during the Butler assassination attempt.
This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
