James Copenhaver, a resident of Coraopolis, Pennsylvania, who was injured in an assassination attempt on then-presidential candidate Donald Trump in 2024, has died, according to multiple reports. Copenhaver, in his mid-70s, was one of several individuals shot by Thomas Matthew Crooks at the Butler Farm Show complex outside Butler, Pennsylvania. Crooks had scaled the roof of a nearby glass manufacturing building and aimed at Trump during the rally.
A family member confirmed Copenhaver's death to Fox News Digital through a Pittsburgh-area law firm. The House Republican Conference shared an obituary on social media, expressing their condolences and stating that lawmakers were "deeply saddened" by his passing. They noted, "Jim endured unimaginable hardship with strength and perseverance. We join his family and loved ones in mourning his loss and praying for them during this difficult time. May he rest in peace."
Ken Silva, a journalist who authored a book about the assassination attempt, also reported that a close acquaintance of Copenhaver's family confirmed his death, mentioning that Copenhaver had been living with permanent injuries, including bullet fragments lodged in his body. Another victim of the shooting, David Dutch, survived, while Butler County firefighter Corey Comperatore was killed during the incident.
In a 2025 interview with Pittsburgh’s KDKA, Copenhaver recounted the moment he was shot, stating, "Next thing I know, my sleeve has been yanked... I heard ‘pew.’ I heard it, and I didn’t realize at the time that I had gotten shot." He mentioned being shot a second time, with both bullets hitting soft tissue.
Earlier this year, Copenhaver filed a lawsuit against the United States, alleging he underwent multiple surgeries due to his injuries. Mayor Jondavid Longo of Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania, who spoke at the Butler rally, expressed his condolences, stating, "[Copenhaver] survived that day, but he never fully recovered from the wounds. For two years he lived with surgeries, remaining fragments, and pain that never left him. Those of us who were there that day have never forgotten Corey Comperatore, David Dutch, or Jim."
The assassination attempt led to increased scrutiny of the Secret Service, revealing failures in planning and security at the rally site. Following the incident, then-Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle resigned, and a bipartisan House task force concluded that the attack was preventable. Six Secret Service agents were later suspended without pay due to their involvement in the security failures.
Trump returned to Butler in October 2024, shortly after the assassination attempt, to hold another rally at the same location and honor Comperatore. The incident became a significant moment in Trump's campaign, with his raised fist and the word "fight" becoming emblematic of the event. This is a developing story.