Former Trump rally attendee Jim Copenhaver dies two years after Butler shooting
Jim Copenhaver, 76, who was seriously injured in the July 2024 shooting at a Trump campaign event in Butler, Pennsylvania, has died, according to statements from House Republicans.
Jim Copenhaver, a 76-year-old attendee of a 2024 campaign rally for President Donald Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania, died two years after being wounded in the shooting that injured two other participants and killed one. The House Republican social-media account announced his passing, expressing sympathy for his family.
Copenhaver was among the two rally-goers shot on July 13, 2024; the other survivor, David Dutch of New Kensington, also recovered, while Corey Comperatore was killed. Copenhaver sustained a bullet wound to the triceps and another projectile that damaged his colon and caused nerve injury. He was hospitalized for about a week before being released.
In a 2025 interview with KDKA-TV, Copenhaver recalled the incident, describing how he felt a sleeve being yanked and heard a gunshot before realizing he had been hit. The shooting prompted a broader investigation into security at political events.