Politics
Copenhaver was shot in the arm and abdomen at the Butler Pennsylvania rally on July 13 2024. He required multiple surgeries including a transection of his colon. He walked with a cane for two years. He died September 23 2026 at West Penn Hospital. He is the second person to die from the Butler shooting.
NewsOnScale Staff
September 25, 2026
James Copenhaver, one of three attendees shot during the attempted assassination of then-candidate Donald Trump at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania on July 13 2024, died Wednesday September 23 2026 at Allegheny Health Network's West Penn Hospital in Pittsburgh. He was 76.
Copenhaver was in the bleachers when 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks opened fire from a rooftop approximately 130 meters from the stage. A bullet grazed Trump's right ear. Corey Comperatore — who shielded his family from the gunfire — was killed at the scene. David Dutch was wounded and survived. Copenhaver was struck in the arm and in the abdomen.
His death makes him the second person to die as a direct result of the Butler shooting.
What Happened to Him
Copenhaver's wounds required multiple surgeries including a transection of his colon. He suffered lingering kidney damage and loss of feeling in his leg. He walked with a cane after the shooting. His lawyer Joseph Feldman described the wounds as debilitating, grievous, permanent and life altering.
In June 2026 Copenhaver and his wife Marianne filed a lawsuit against the federal government alleging that the Secret Service and the Department of Homeland Security had utterly failed to provide appropriate security at the rally.
He died surrounded by loved ones according to a family statement.
Who He Was
Copenhaver was a veteran who had served in the United States armed forces. His family's statement called him above all else a devoted husband, father, and grandfather who instilled the values of hard work, integrity, and service to others in his children.
James's dedication to this great country was a defining part of his life, the statement said.
He went to a political rally in Butler Pennsylvania and was shot. He spent two years in declining health before dying from the complications of those wounds.
The Three People Shot
The Butler shooting wounded three attendees and grazed Trump.
Corey Comperatore, 50, of Sarver Pennsylvania — killed at the scene. He shielded his family from gunfire.
David Dutch, 57, of New Kensington Pennsylvania — shot and wounded. He survived.
James Copenhaver, 74 at the time, of Moon Township Pennsylvania — shot in the arm and abdomen. He survived the initial shooting but died from complications two years later.
The gunman Thomas Matthew Crooks was killed by Secret Service personnel.
The Security Failure
The Copenhaver family's lawsuit filed in June 2026 alleged that the Secret Service and DHS utterly failed to provide appropriate security at the rally — allowing a 20-year-old with a rifle to reach a rooftop within clear line of sight of the stage and open fire on a former president and thousands of attendees.
That lawsuit is still pending. James Copenhaver did not live to see its resolution.
Trump posted in response to Copenhaver's death: After being wounded while protecting his family, Jim showed tremendous bravery, courageously continuing to FIGHT, FIGHT, FIGHT, and maintaining a positive spirit despite unimaginable hardships.
Copenhaver was in the bleachers. He was not protecting his family. He was shot while attending a political rally in his own country.
DISCLOSURE: NewsOnScale is an independent media publication owned and operated by AMILLI AI CORP. JJ Johnson is the founder of AMILLI AI CORP and a declared candidate for President of the United States in 2028. All facts in this article are drawn from ABC News, CBS Pittsburgh, ABC7 New York, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the Associated Press reporting published September 25 2026.