Jim Copenhaver, one of the men wounded during the July 2024 assassination attempt on President Donald Trump at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, has died. He was 76 years old.
His family confirmed his passing through attorney Joseph A. Feldman on Thursday. Copenhaver died Wednesday surrounded by family members, though no official cause of death was disclosed.
Copenhaver was struck twice during the attack on July 13, 2024, when gunman Thomas Crooks opened fire on the crowd gathered at the rally. He was shot in the tricep and the abdomen, resulting in serious nerve damage and a partial colon removal.
In the months that followed, Copenhaver told reporters he had lost 30 pounds and was forced to rely on a cane to walk. He recalled the moment he was hit, saying he heard the shot clearly, turned to a friend and said he believed he had been shot just before the second bullet struck him.
His family described the injuries as “life-altering” and previously thanked the public for their overwhelming support following what they called a “horrible, senseless, and unnecessary act of violence.”
Copenhaver was a military veteran, and his family said serving his country was a defining part of his identity. “James was a true American patriot who believed deeply in the freedoms and ideals upon which this nation was founded” his family said in a statement.
Former fire chief Corey Comperatore was killed in the same shooting. Trump himself suffered a minor wound to his ear from either a bullet or fragment, according to the FBI. Crooks, who was 20 years old at the time, was shot and killed by a Secret Service sharpshooter shortly after opening fire.
Investigators never determined a clear motive for the attack despite extensive interviews with Crooks’ family members, teachers, neighbors and classmates.
House Republicans responded to the news of Copenhaver’s death on social media, offering condolences to his loved ones. “Jim endured unimaginable hardship with strength and perseverance” the post read, adding that the GOP joins his family in mourning his loss.
Copenhaver is remembered by those who knew him as a man of deep patriotism and quiet resilience who faced the consequences of a violent and politically charged moment in American history with courage until the very end.