PITTSBURGH, United States – James “Jim” Copenhaver, a United States military veteran who suffered severe, debilitating injuries when gunfire erupted during the July 2024 assassination attempt on Donald Trump at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, has died at the age of 76, his family announced through legal counsel in Pittsburgh on Thursday night, September 24, 2026.
Copenhaver passed away at Allegheny Health Network’s West Penn Hospital in Pittsburgh surrounded by his wife and loved ones, marking a somber conclusion to a two-year medical ordeal triggered by the historic security breach that shocked the global political landscape.
Okay News reports that Copenhaver was seated in the bleachers on July 13, 2024, when a 20-year-old gunman positioned on an unsecured warehouse roof fired eight rounds toward the podium, grazing Trump’s right ear, fatally shooting 50-year-old former volunteer fire chief Corey Comperatore, and critically wounding fellow attendee David Dutch.
Struck by high-velocity rounds in his right arm and abdomen, Copenhaver sustained catastrophic internal trauma that required multiple emergency surgical interventions, including a transection of his colon, exploratory laparotomies, and abdominal wall reconstruction.
The injuries resulted in permanent kidney damage and nerve loss that left him reliant on a walking cane and grappling with constant pain, physical hardships his family said he endured with extraordinary dignity.
“James’s dedication to this great country was a defining part of his life,” the Copenhaver family stated in an official announcement released by attorney Joseph Feldman. “As a veteran, he proudly served our nation 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, and he embodied the very best traits of our great nation.”
The Allegheny County Office of the Medical Examiner did not immediately release a formal determination regarding whether Copenhaver’s death was directly attributable to delayed secondary complications from his gunshot trauma.
Reacting to the news on Thursday, President Trump paid an emotional tribute to the late veteran on social media, honoring his resilience and devotion to the country.
“Jim showed tremendous bravery, courageously continuing to FIGHT, FIGHT, FIGHT, and maintaining a positive spirit despite unimaginable hardships,” Trump wrote. “God bless American Patriot and Warrior, James Copenhaver, and his incredible family. May he rest in peace.”
The tragedy prompted deep institutional fallout within the United States Secret Service, leading to the resignation of former director Kimberly Cheatle and congressional inquiries that identified systemic communication and site security failures.
In June 2026, Copenhaver and his wife, Marianne, instituted a federal lawsuit against the United States Government, alleging that the Secret Service and the Department of Homeland Security utterly failed in their statutory duty to establish a secure perimeter and neutralize known threats at the Butler Farm Show grounds.
The House Republican Conference joined national leaders in mourning the veteran’s passing, affirming that lawmakers remain committed to ensuring full institutional accountability for the systemic lapses that led to the violence.
