James “Jim” Copenhaver, a 76-year-old Pennsylvania man who survived being shot during the 2024 assassination attempt on then-presidential candidate Donald Trump, has died.
Copenhaver died on September 23, 2026, at West Penn Hospital in Pittsburgh, according to the Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office. His cause of death had not been publicly released as of September 24.
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Copenhaver, who lived in Moon Township, Pennsylvania, was among three attendees struck by gunfire during Trump's campaign rally at the Butler Farm Show grounds on July 13, 2024. The shooting was carried out by 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, who opened fire from a nearby rooftop. Trump was wounded in the right ear, while rally attendee Corey Comperatore was killed and another attendee, David Dutch, was wounded. Crooks was subsequently killed by law enforcement.
Injuries sustained in the Butler shooting
Copenhaver was struck by two bullets during the attack. One bullet hit his arm/triceps, while another entered his abdomen, causing serious internal injuries. Reports said the injuries involved damage to his colon and kidney and resulted in lasting nerve damage. Bullet fragments also remained in his body.
He was hospitalized following the shooting and was released from Allegheny General Hospital on July 28, 2024, roughly two weeks after the attack. At the time, his family described his injuries as life-altering and expressed gratitude to the first responders, medical personnel and hospital staff who treated him.
The physical effects of the shooting continued long after his hospitalization. According to later reporting, Copenhaver experienced lingering injuries and walked with a cane. He and fellow survivor David Dutch later spoke publicly about their experiences and the lasting consequences of the attack.
Legal action following the shooting
In 2026, Copenhaver and Dutch filed lawsuits against the United States concerning the security arrangements surrounding the Butler rally. Their lawsuits alleged that failures by the U.S. Secret Service contributed to their injuries. The allegations include claims involving security planning, communication and the failure to adequately secure the building from which Crooks fired. The cases were pending at the time of Copenhaver's death.
The allegations in the lawsuit remain claims rather than findings of fact, and the case had not been resolved when Copenhaver died.
Remembered after the shooting
Following news of his death, the House Republican Conference issued a statement mourning Copenhaver and remembering him as someone who had endured significant hardship after being gravely wounded in Butler.
“We are deeply saddened by the passing of Jim Copenhaver,” the statement said, adding that he had endured hardship with “strength and perseverance.”
Copenhaver's death adds another loss connected to the July 2024 Butler shooting. Corey Comperatore died at the scene after being struck by gunfire while attending the rally. Copenhaver and David Dutch survived their injuries, although both faced significant physical consequences from the attack.
James Copenhaver was 76 years old at the time of his death. Details concerning funeral arrangements and the cause of death had not been publicly announced in the reports available on September 24, 2026.
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