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US President Donald Trump has paid tribute to “true American patriot” James Copenhaver after lawyers for the 76-year-old announced his death.
Copenhaver was shot in 2024 at a Trump campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, in a failed assassination attempt against the president.
“A tremendous loss,” Trump wrote in a post on his Truth Social account.
“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,” he continued, adding: “Our hearts and prayers are with the Copenhaver family, especially his incredible wife Marianne.”
Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday said on Thursday that Copenhaver had been “gravely wounded” in the shooting and that he had “died from complications stemming from those wounds today.”
On July 13, 2024, Trump was speaking at a rally event in Butler when 20-year-old Thomas Crooks opened fire from a nearby rooftop, grazing the president’s right ear with a bullet.
Copenhaver, David Dutch, and Corey Comperatore were also shot. Dutch survived but Comperatore was killed while attempting to shield his family.
Crooks was killed by a Secret Service counter-sniper team.