Man Wounded In 2024 Trump Rally Shooting Dies; Cause Under Review
James Copenhaver, 76, a man wounded in the July 13, 2024 Trump rally shooting in Butler, Pennsylvania, died Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2026.[1] The Allegheny County medical examiner listed his cause of death as pending.[1]
The House Republican Conference posted obituary-style messages mourning his loss and expressing condolences to his family.[1] A person who answered a phone number linked to Copenhaver's family directed Fox News to a Pittsburgh-area law firm for confirmation and further comment.[2] Journalist Ken Silva said someone close to the family confirmed Copenhaver had long-term injuries, including bullet fragments still lodged in his body.[2]
On July 13, 2024, a gunman opened fire at a rally in Butler, wounding then-presidential candidate Donald Trump and other attendees.[1] The attack killed Corey Comperatore, critically wounded Marine veteran David Dutch, and the shooter, Thomas Crooks, was shot and killed by the Secret Service.[1] Copenhaver was struck in the arm and abdomen, spent a week in the hospital and at one point wore a colostomy bag for at least a year before later stopping its use and regaining mobility.[1]
Copenhaver filed a lawsuit against the United States in 2026 alleging he required multiple surgeries as a result of the shooting.[2] A friend and former local supervisor said Copenhaver had stopped using the colostomy bag and appeared to be "fully recovered" and living his life before his death.[1]
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📌 Key Facts
- James Copenhaver, 76, died on Wednesday, September 23, 2026, according to the New York Times.
- The Allegheny County medical examiner lists Copenhaver’s cause of death as pending investigation.
- Copenhaver was struck in the arm and abdomen at the July 13, 2024 Trump rally in Butler, spent a week in the hospital, and wore a colostomy bag for at least a year before later stopping its use and regaining mobility, the New York Times reports.
- The House Republican Conference posted obituary-style messages mourning his loss and expressing that members were “deeply saddened.”
- Fox News reports a person answering a phone number linked to Copenhaver’s family directed the outlet to a Pittsburgh-area law firm for confirmation and further comment (Fox News).
- Journalist Ken Silva, cited by Fox News, said someone close to Copenhaver’s family confirmed he had long-term injuries, including bullet fragments still lodged in his body.
- Fox News says Copenhaver filed a lawsuit against the United States in 2026 alleging he required multiple surgeries as a result of the shooting.
- The shooting on July 13, 2024 also wounded Donald Trump, critically wounded Marine veteran David Dutch, killed Corey Comperatore, and the gunman Thomas Crooks was shot and killed by the Secret Service, the New York Times reports.
📰 Source Timeline (3)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- The New York Times reports that James Copenhaver, 76, of Moon Township, Pennsylvania, died on Wednesday, September 23, 2026, and that the Allegheny County medical examiner lists his cause of death as pending investigation.
- The article details that Copenhaver was struck in the arm and abdomen at the July 13, 2024 Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, spent a week in the hospital, and wore a colostomy bag for at least a year.
- Friend and former local supervisor Albert Quaye says Copenhaver had stopped using the colostomy bag, progressed from a walker to no support, and that he believed Copenhaver was 'fully recovered' and 'living his life no problem' before his death.
- The story adds personal background: Copenhaver was retired, involved in a military banner committee in Moon Township, and played in a band.
- House Republicans issued a statement on X mourning his loss and expressing condolences to his family.
- The article reiterates that the shooting on July 13, 2024, also wounded Donald Trump, critically wounded Marine veteran David Dutch, killed Corey Comperatore, and that gunman Thomas Crooks was shot and killed by the Secret Service.
- Fox News reports on September 24, 2026 that James Copenhaver, a mid-70s resident of Coraopolis, Pennsylvania, has died after being wounded in the July 13, 2024 Trump rally shooting in Butler.
- The House Republican Conference posted an obituary-style statement on September 24, 2026, saying Copenhaver died Thursday and expressing that members were 'deeply saddened' by his passing.
- Fox News says a person answering a phone number linked to Copenhaver's family directed the outlet to a Pittsburgh-area law firm for confirmation and further comment about his death.
- Journalist Ken Silva, who wrote a book about the assassination attempt, is cited as saying a person close to Copenhaver's family confirmed that Copenhaver had been dealing with permanent injuries, including bullet fragments still lodged in his body.
- The article notes that Copenhaver filed a lawsuit against the United States earlier in 2026 alleging he required multiple surgeries as a result of the shooting.
- Copenhaver previously described in a 2025 KDKA interview how he felt bullets strike him twice during the July 13, 2024 rally, saying the shots hit 'soft material' and that the impact felt like a jolt.