By GB News (World News) | Created at 2026-09-25 14:15:36 | Updated at 2026-09-25 15:05:49
58 minutes ago
The man who was struck by gunfire during the assassination attempt on Donald Trump at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, has died more than two years after the attack.
James Copenhaver passed away in hospital on Wednesday at the age of 76 due to complications linked to the bullet wounds he sustained on July 13, 2024.
Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, opened fire from a rooftop at the Butler Farm Show complex.
While the formal cause of death has not been made public, a source close to the family confirmed his death was a consequence of the lasting injuries and a bullet that had remained embedded in his body.
At the time of the shooting, Mr Copenhaver was 74 and seated to Mr Trump's left when the gunman began firing.
A bullet also grazed the ear of the then-presidential candidate.
Mr Copenhaver told KDKA: "I didn't realise at the time that I had gotten shot, but I turned around and that's when I got the second shot."
He described the impact as "like a jolt" that did not knock him down but left him unwilling to remain standing.
The man who was struck by gunfire during the assassination attempt on Donald Trump at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania
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One round passed through his triceps, while the other stayed lodged in his body, causing nerve damage and leaving him reliant on a cane.
He spent a fortnight at Allegheny General Hospital in critical but stable condition and later underwent multiple surgeries.
In June, he launched legal action against the US Government, accusing the Secret Service of "negligence, recklessness and/or carelessness" in failing to prevent the attack.
President Trump honoured Mr Copenhaver in a post on Truth Social, describing him as "a true American Patriot" whose death represented "a tremendous loss".
A bullet also grazed the ear of the then-presidential candidate
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Mr Trump wrote: "More than two years ago in Butler, Pennsylvania, a crazed gunman attempted to stifle our America First Movement.
"Instead, Jim and so many other wonderful Patriots who love our Country stood united in defence of our shared values of Freedom, Liberty, and Justice."
The president praised Mr Copenhaver's courage, saying he had continued to "FIGHT, FIGHT, FIGHT" while "maintaining a positive spirit despite unimaginable hardships".
Mr Trump extended his condolences to the family, singling out Mr Copenhaver's wife Marianne, adding: "His indelible legacy of love and devotion will forever endure."
President Trump honoured Mr Copenhaver in a post on Truth Social
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His family lawyer, Joseph Feldman, said Mr Copenhaver, a veteran described as a "devoted husband, father and grandfather", had his loved ones at his bedside when he died.
Corey Comperatore was also killed in the shooting, while David Dutch also suffered gunshot wounds.
The gunman, Thomas Matthew Crooks, was shot dead by Secret Service agents at the scene.
Mr Copenhaver's lawsuit, filed earlier this year, alleged that the security failures that day left him with "severe, serious, permanent and grievous injuries" that ultimately contributed to his death more than two years later.
