Two men critically injured in a shooting at a Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13, 2024, will attend the inauguration of the 47th president on January 20, 2025. Jim Copenhaver, 74, and David Dutch, 57, were both wounded when Thomas Matthew Crooks opened fire from a nearby rooftop during the rally. Crooks first fired at then-candidate Trump, but was forced to shoot quickly after a police officer climbed onto the rooftop. The second volley of shots killed retired firefighter Corey Comperatore, who had shielded his daughters, while Trump was grazed in the ear. The shooter was killed by a counter-sniper team after firing a total of eight shots.
Copenhaver and Dutch, who survived but sustained life-altering injuries, have since been in recovery. Copenhaver, who required multiple surgeries, expressed gratitude to the first responders and medical staff in a statement from his family. Dutch, a Marine veteran, also underwent surgery and was put into a medically induced coma before being discharged from the hospital 11 days later. Both men thanked the medical teams that saved their lives.
Now, both Copenhaver and Dutch have been invited to the inauguration by President-elect Trump, with their lawyer, Joseph Feldman, saying that both men are honored by the invitation and grateful for Trump’s ongoing support. They had previously met Trump after his victory in November.
Trump has also maintained close communication with the family of Corey Comperatore, who was killed while protecting his daughters from gunfire. Trump honored Comperatore during his Republican National Convention speech and has continued to pay tribute to him, including a symbolic gesture by reserving a seat for Comperatore at a later rally. Comperatore’s widow, Helen, has sought justice and hired a private attorney to investigate the events leading to the rally. The Comperatore family remains deeply affected, with his daughter Allyson recalling the moment her father shielded her and was shot.
