James Copenhaver, injured in Trump rally shooting, dies from injuries

<p>James Copenhaver, of Coraopolis, Pennsylvania, who was wounded in an assassination attempt on President Donald Trump in 2024, has died, according to multiple reports.</p><p>Copenhaver, in his mid-70s, was one of several individuals shot by Thomas Matthew Crooks at the Butler Farm Show complex outside Butler, Pennsylvania, after Crooks scaled the roof of a nearby glass manufacturing building and aimed at the then-presidential candidate.</p><p>A statement from the Copenhaver family provided to Fox News Digital confirmed his death on September 23, 2026, and noted the veteran's dedication to the country.</p><p>"It is with profound sadness that the Copenhaver family confirms that James Copenhaver passed away on September 23, 2026, surrounded by his loved ones," the statement said.</p><p>"Above all else, James was a devoted husband, father, and grandfather. James shared a lifetime of commitment to his wife, instilled the values of hard work, integrity, and service to others in his children, and found joy in his grandchildren. His family was the center of his world, and he was the center of theirs.</p><p>"James’s dedication to this great country was a defining part of his life. As a veteran, he proudly served 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 upon which this nation was founded, embodying the best traits of the nation.</p><p>"James and the Copenhaver family have been deeply grateful for the outpouring of love, prayers, and support they have received over the past two years since James was gravely wounded while attending President Trump’s rally on July 13, 2024, in Butler, Pennsylvania. Throughout that difficult time, James faced every challenge with strength and resolve, and the kindness shown by many brought great comfort to him and his loved ones.</p><p>"As the Copenhaver family begins the difficult journey forward without James, they welcome continued thoughts, prayers, and support. The family respectfully asks that their privacy be honored as they mourn his loss and celebrate his life. James will be deeply missed, and his memory will live on in all who knew and loved him."</p><p>The House Republican Conference posted an obituary for Copenhaver on social media, expressing that lawmakers were "deeply saddened."</p><p>"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," the caucus stated.</p><p>Ken Silva, a journalist who wrote about the assassination attempt, noted on his website that a person close to Copenhaver's family confirmed his death and that he had been dealing with permanent injuries, including bullet fragments still lodged in his body.</p><p>David Dutch was also wounded in the shooting but survived. Butler County firefighter Corey Comperatore was shot and killed in the bleachers behind Trump’s dais that day.</p><p>In 2025, Copenhaver recounted to Pittsburgh's KDKA that he stood to look at the jumbotron behind him as Trump spoke.</p><p>"Next thing I know, my sleeve has been yanked," he said. "I could see a portion of it going by pretty fast, and I heard 'pew.' I heard it, and I didn't realize at the time that I had gotten shot."</p><p>He mentioned being shot a second time but noted that the bullets both "went into soft material."</p><p>"It was like a jolt. It didn't knock me over, but I didn't want to stand anymore," he told the station.</p><p>A lawsuit Copenhaver filed against the United States earlier this year alleged he was required to undergo multiple surgeries.</p><p>Mayor Jondavid Longo of nearby Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania, who spoke at the Butler rally, expressed condolences for Copenhaver’s death.</p><p>The attack led to scrutiny of the Secret Service after investigations revealed breakdowns in planning, communication, and security around the rally site. Then-Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle resigned less than two weeks later, taking responsibility for the security lapse. A bipartisan House task force concluded the Butler attack was preventable and identified failures in planning, execution, and leadership.</p><p>Six Secret Service agents were later suspended without pay in connection with the failures.</p><p>Trump returned to Butler in October 2024, less than three months after the assassination attempt, to hold another rally at the same site and honor Comperatore.</p><p>Trump’s raised fist and mouthing of the word "fight" became a notable image of the assassination attempt that he used throughout his successful campaign to become the first president since Grover Cleveland to serve two nonconsecutive terms.</p>