Trump Assassination Attempt Victim Dies: What He Said About Butler

James “Jim” Copenhaver, one of two people critically wounded when a gunman opened fire at Donald Trump’s campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, has died, roughly two years after he was shot. He was 76.

A statement released through an attorney for his family on Thursday, said Copenhaver died on Wednesday "surrounded by loved ones." The statement did not give a cause of death.

“As a veteran, he proudly served our nation in the armed forces, and his love of country never wavered,” the statement said.

"James was a true American patriot who believed deeply in the freedoms and ideals upon which this nation was founded, and he embodied the very best traits of our great nation.”

His family added that the “devoted husband, father and grandfather,” had been deeply grateful for all the support he had received after the Butler shooting.

Copenhaver was attending Trump’s July 13, 2024, rally at the Butler Farm Show when Thomas Matthew Crooks opened fire from a nearby rooftop.

Trump was wounded in the ear, rallygoer Corey Comperatore was killed and Copenhaver and David Dutch were seriously injured. Crooks was subsequently killed by a Secret Service countersniper.

Newsweek has reached out to the White House via email for comment.

The Butler shooting killed one rally attendee and injured two others.

Corey Comperatore, 50, of Sarver, Pennsylvania, was killed. Gov. Josh Shapiro said Comperatore died while shielding his family from the gunfire. He was a volunteer firefighter and former fire chief.

David Dutch, of New Kensington, Pennsylvania, was also critically wounded. He was shot in the abdomen and suffered injuries to his liver. He was hospitalized for 11 days before being released.

James Copenhaver suffered gunshot wounds to his arm and abdomen. He was hospitalized for 15 days and spent the following months recovering from extensive injuries.

Trump was also struck during the shooting. The FBI said his ear was hit by either a bullet or a fragment, but he was not seriously injured.

With Copenhaver's death, Comperatore and Copenhaver are now both deceased, while Dutch survived the attack.

More than a year after the shooting, Copenhaver recalled the moment he realized he had been hit by gunfire.

“I was standing up looking at the Jumbotron behind me, and next thing I know my sleeve has been yanked,” Copenhaver told KDKA in 2025. “I could see a portion of it going by pretty fast, and I heard ‘pew.’”

Initially, he did not realize he had been shot. "But I turned around, and that's when I got the second shot,” Copenhaver said.

He described the second bullet as feeling like a sudden jolt.

“It was like a jolt,” he said. “It didn't knock me over, but I didn't want to stand anymore.”

Copenhaver was rushed straight to hospital from the rally. While there, he spoke with Trump via phone from his bed. His attorney, Joseph Feldman, later described it as “a very pleasant conversation." Copenhaver's family also released a statement saying that he was "thinking about and praying for" Trump and wishing him and Dutch a "safe and speedy recovery."

The shooting left Copenhaver with serious injuries. One bullet tore into his triceps, while another damaged his colon and left him with nerve damage. He later underwent multiple surgeries and continued to experience numbness and difficulty walking.

Despite the lasting physical effects of the shooting, Copenhaver said he and the other survivors were determined to keep seeking answers.

Speaking in the same 2025 interview, Copenhaver said he wanted to "hear what is being held back" from the public accounts of the investigation. "There are phones that were found, there were devices that were not fully exposed. I want to hear about that," he said.

The 76-year-old also expressed frustration about what he described as a lack of accountability over the rally's security.

Copenhaver later filed a lawsuit against the U.S. government, seeking $150,000 over the security failures surrounding the Butler rally, alleging negligence, recklessness and carelessness by the U.S. Secret Service. The complaint alleges those failures led to Copenhaver's "significant, grievous and permanent" injuries. The lawsuit remains pending.

Trump publicly acknowledged the people affected by the Butler shooting in the days and months that followed the attack.

At the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, four days after the shooting, Trump said he had personally spoken with both Copenhaver and Dutch. He said, “Our love and prayers are with them and always will be. We're never gonna forget them.”

Trump also paid tribute to Comperatore, who he described as a “great person” and spoke about the loss suffered by his family.

The president also mentioned the two surviving victims during a July 20, 2024, rally in Grand Rapids, Michigan, telling the crowd that he continued to pray for Dutch and Copenhaver and their recovery. He also participated in fundraising efforts for those affected by the shooting. Trump said that millions of dollars had been raised for the families of Comperatore, Dutch and Copenhaver following the attack.

On the first anniversary of the shooting in July 2025, the White House issued a presidential message remembering those killed and wounded in Butler.

“Those who carry scars from that July evening defended our Republic during one of our Nation’s darkest hours—running to the injured amid chaos and uncertainty to provide comfort and lifesaving care," the message stated.

"These men and women arrived at the rally grounds as ordinary Americans, but left as heroes. They represent the very best of our Nation, and we are forever indebted for their kindness and compassion," it continued.

The statement also specifically honored Comperatore, who, it said, "died a hero."

Copenhaver's family said serving his country was a defining part of his life and described him as deeply committed to the freedoms and ideals of the United States.

The family also expressed gratitude for the support Copenhaver received after the Butler shooting.

House Republicans paid tribute to Copenhaver in a statement posted on their X account on Thursday.

"We are deeply saddened by the passing of Jim Copenhaver, who was gravely wounded in the horrific shooting in Butler, Pennsylvania," they wrote. "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."

His death marks another loss connected to the attack that transformed the Butler rally from a presidential campaign event into one of the most closely scrutinized political-security incidents in recent U.S. history.

The Butler shooting prompted intense scrutiny of the security operation surrounding the rally, with questions continuing to emerge about how the gunman was able to fire on the crowd from a nearby rooftop.

Crooks fired eight shots toward the rally before he was killed by a Secret Service countersniper. In the aftermath, investigators interviewed people who knew him, including relatives, neighbors, teachers and classmates. Authorities never reported a definitive motive for the attack.

The Secret Service faced mounting scrutiny over its handling of the event. Then-Director Kimberly Cheatle described the shooting in 2024 as the agency's most significant operational failure in decades before resigning amid congressional criticism.

Copenhaver and Dutch later criticized aspects of the rally's security arrangements and pursued potential legal action related to the shooting.

Congress subsequently established a task force to investigate the attempted assassination. Its review examined the planning and execution of the security operation, as well as communication, training and resource issues, and resulted in recommendations aimed at preventing a similar incident in the future.