Jim Copenhaver, one of the rally-goers shot during the July 13, 2024 assassination attempt on President Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania, has died at 76 from complications of his wounds, making him the second life claimed by that day's violence.

Copenhaver passed away on September 23, 2026, surrounded by family, more than two years after a gunman's bullets tore through the crowd at the Butler Farm Show grounds during a Trump campaign rally. Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday confirmed that Copenhaver died from complications stemming from the wounds he suffered that day. His family's lawyer issued a statement calling him "a true American patriot who believed deeply in the freedoms and ideals upon which this nation was founded."

His death raises the shooting's toll to two lives lost. Corey Comperatore, a firefighter, was killed on the day of the attack while shielding his family. David Dutch of New Kensington, Pennsylvania, was also wounded and survived, though his current condition has not been publicly detailed.

Two bullets, two years of suffering

Copenhaver, a military veteran from Coraopolis, Pennsylvania, was seated in the crowd when shooter Thomas Matthew Crooks opened fire, Just The News reported. One bullet struck Copenhaver in the triceps. A second tore through chunks of his colon and lodged in his body, leaving him with permanent nerve damage.

He was hospitalized and discharged about a week later. But the injuries never let go. Bullet fragments remained lodged in his body, and he endured multiple surgeries over the following two years, Fox News reported.

In an interview with KDKA-TV roughly a year after the shooting, Copenhaver described the moment he was hit. He had been standing, looking at the Jumbotron behind him:

"I was standing up looking at the Jumbotron behind me, and next thing I know my sleeve has been yanked. I could see a portion of it going by pretty fast, and I heard 'pew.' I heard it, and I didn't realize at the time that I had gotten shot. But I turned around, and that's when I got the second shot."

That matter-of-fact account, from a man who did not even realize the first round had hit him, captured the chaos and speed of the attack. Copenhaver spent the rest of his life dealing with its consequences.

The aftermath of the Butler shooting has continued to produce new revelations and unanswered questions in the two years since.

Trump honors 'a true American Patriot'

President Trump posted a tribute on Truth Social, calling Copenhaver "a true American Patriot" and praising his resilience:

"After being wounded while protecting his family, Jim showed tremendous bravery, courageously continuing to FIGHT, FIGHT, FIGHT, and maintaining a positive spirit despite unimaginable hardships. His indelible legacy of love and devotion will forever endure."

House Republicans announced Copenhaver's death on social media on Thursday, writing that he "endured unimaginable hardship with strength and perseverance." The statement added: "We join his family and loved ones in mourning his loss and praying for them during this difficult time."

Copenhaver's family, through their lawyer, emphasized his service and character. The statement CBS News Pittsburgh published described him as a husband, father, and grandfather whose "dedication to this great country was a defining part of his life."

"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."

Headline USA Editor Ken Silva, who first announced the death on X, noted that it was "no secret that Jim was dealing with permanent injuries from Butler," the Washington Examiner reported.

Security failures that cost lives remain under scrutiny

The July 13, 2024 shooting left three rally-goers struck by gunfire and grazed Trump himself. Comperatore, the firefighter killed that day, died shielding his wife and daughters. His widow later called the assassination attempt "an inside job," pointing to what she described as catastrophic lapses in security.

The shooting was not the only threat Trump faced during that period. An armed man was later charged after allegedly scouting Trump's LA golf club ahead of a presidential visit, underscoring persistent security concerns around the former and future president.

Copenhaver's death two years after the attack is a grim reminder that the cost of that day's security breakdown did not end when the shooting stopped. A 76-year-old veteran went to a political rally, an ordinary act of civic participation, and spent the remainder of his life paying for someone else's failure.

Specific medical details about the complications that ultimately took Copenhaver's life have not been disclosed. The Pennsylvania Attorney General's office confirmed only that the death resulted from complications of the wounds. No further details about any ongoing legal proceedings connected to the shooting appeared in available reporting.

Concerns about threats to the Trump family have extended well beyond Butler. Barron Trump has reportedly been living in seclusion following reports of an Iranian bounty threat, a sign of how the security environment around the president and his family has remained volatile.

Jim Copenhaver survived two bullets and fought through two years of surgeries, nerve damage, and pain. He did not survive. The people responsible for making sure a gunman never got a clear shot at a presidential rally, and at the Americans who showed up to attend it, owe his family more than condolences. They owe answers.