James “Jim” Copenhaver, one of two rallygoers critically wounded during the 2024 assassination attempt against President Donald Trump, has died at age 76.
House Republicans announced Copenhaver’s death Thursday, more than two years after gunfire erupted at Trump’s campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
“We are deeply saddened by the passing of Jim Copenhaver, who was gravely wounded in the horrific shooting in Butler, Pennsylvania,” House Republicans said.
“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.”
Copenhaver’s cause of death has not been released. Although he continued suffering from serious injuries sustained during the attack, it remains unclear whether those injuries contributed to his death.
Copenhaver was 74 when he attended Trump’s July 13, 2024, rally at the Butler Farm Show grounds.
The assassination attempt unfolded when 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks opened fire from the roof of a nearby building while Trump addressed thousands of supporters.
Copenhaver was struck twice, with one bullet hitting his left arm and another entering his abdomen. He was transported to Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh and underwent multiple surgeries.
Bullet fragments reportedly remained inside his body after the attack, and the extensive abdominal damage caused lasting medical problems.
Copenhaver later recalled realizing he had been wounded after seeing part of his shirt sleeve disappear during the gunfire.
“I think I was shot,” he remembered saying moments after the attack.
Trump was wounded in the ear before Secret Service agents rushed him from the stage. Rally attendee Corey Comperatore, a former volunteer fire chief, was killed while shielding his family from the gunfire.
Copenhaver and fellow attendee David Dutch were both critically wounded. Crooks was subsequently killed by a Secret Service counter-sniper.
After returning home from the hospital, Copenhaver became a prominent voice among those demanding answers about the security failures surrounding the rally.
Copenhaver and Dutch later pursued legal action against the federal government, alleging that failures by the US Secret Service and other officials allowed Crooks to reach an unsecured rooftop with a clear view of the stage.
The shooting ultimately led to the resignation of then-Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle and multiple investigations examining how the gunman managed to fire at Trump despite being identified as suspicious before the attack, per Trending Politics.
Before the shooting, Copenhaver worked for the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board and was active in local issues in Moon Township. He also served as an elected Republican committeeman.
Following his release from the hospital, Copenhaver expressed hope that he could eventually return to his normal life, including riding his Harley-Davidson with a longtime friend.
His family previously thanked the first responders and medical workers who treated him while saying Copenhaver continued praying for Trump and the other victims.
Copenhaver is survived by his wife, son and grandchildren.
