Jim Copenhaver dies, showing the delayed cost of Butler rally

By Daniel Okafor · Reporting from New York · September 25, 2026

James Copenhaver died from shooting complications years after the Butler rally, showing how security lapses and political violence leave delayed casualties long after the gunfire stops.

A slow death from a rooftop rifle

James Copenhaver died Wednesday at a hospital in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, at age 76.

Copenhaver was one of three attendees shot at Donald Trump's presidential campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13, 2024. The Pennsylvania attorney general stated Copenhaver died from complications stemming from his injuries. The Allegheny County medical examiner shared the death notification with local media.

Copenhaver was struck by a gunman firing from a nearby rooftop. Thomas Crooks scaled an air conditioning unit to reach the roof of an AGR International building. Crooks fired eight rounds from an AR-15-style rifle.

A bullet grazed Donald Trump's ear. Corey Comperatore was shot and killed while shielding his family. David Dutch was the third attendee shot and survived. The Secret Service killed Thomas Crooks on the roof seconds after the shooting began.

Copenhaver sustained gunshot wounds to his arm and abdomen. He told KDKA that a bullet tore into his triceps and another remained lodged next to his spine a year after the rally, forcing him to walk with a cane. Copenhaver and Dutch reported experiencing infections and surgeries after being wounded. NOS reported Copenhaver suffered permanent kidney damage and numbness in his leg.

An avoidable bullet leaves a long shadow

The trajectory of political violence follows a grim arithmetic of delayed casualty. Just as the Attempted assassination of Ronald Reagan on March 30, 1981, wounded the president outside the Washington Hilton while striking bystanders in the chaos, the Butler shooting scattered bullets into a crowd of ordinary citizens. John Hinckley Jr. shot Reagan outside the hotel after a speaking engagement. In Butler, bullets found Copenhaver, Dutch, and Comperatore while Donald Trump spoke on stage.

Copenhaver spent two weeks in the hospital after the shooting, released in critical but stable condition. The physical toll never left him. The bullet remained lodged near his spine, forcing him to rely on a walking stick.

Months before his death, Copenhaver sought accountability. Copenhaver and his wife, Marianne, sued the federal government for damages in June. The lawsuit argued the Secret Service and the Department of Homeland Security failed to ensure their safety and were liable for their injuries. CNN reported court records show both sides agreed this month to give the United States more time to respond. Copenhaver's suit alleges negligence, recklessness, and carelessness by the Secret Service in securing the perimeter and rooftops around the rally site.

Do tributes heal political divides?

Leaders from across the political spectrum offered condolences following Copenhaver's death. Donald Trump called Copenhaver a "true American patriot" on Truth Social. 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 defense of our shared values of Freedom, Liberty, and Justice."

Trump also wrote: "Our hearts and prayers are with the Copenhaver family, especially his incredible wife Marianne."

An attorney for Copenhaver's family, Joseph Feldman, told CBS News that his dedication to the US was a defining part of his life. Feldman said: "As a veteran, he proudly served our nation in the armed forces, and his love of country never wavered." Feldman added that Copenhaver faced every challenge with strength and resolve.

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro said: "Lori and I extend our prayers to James Copenhaver’s loved ones — who now, as Corey Comperatore’s family has faced for over two years — will have an empty seat at their dinner table." Shapiro added: "The political violence that occurred in Butler, Pennsylvania on July 13, 2024 is never okay. I said it at the time in Butler and I say it again today: we all have a responsibility to take down the temperature, rise above hateful rhetoric, and search for a brighter future for this nation."

Republicans in the US House of Representatives posted on social media: "Jim endured unimaginable hardship with strength and perseverance."

The federal lawsuit filed by Jim Copenhaver and his wife will proceed to settlement negotiations with the Department of Justice within six months, driven by the legal pressure of his death from shooting complications.

Jim Copenhaver dies, showing the delayed cost of Butler rally

A slow death from a rooftop rifle

An avoidable bullet leaves a long shadow

Do tributes heal political divides?

Sources