# Butler Rally Shooting Claims Second Victim Two Years Later

- URL: https://twotakes.us/stories/butler-rally-shooting-claims-second-victim-two-years-later
- Published: 2026-09-26T13:07:25.615259+00:00
- Topics: trump-assassination-attempt, butler-rally, secret-service, gun-violence, political-violence

## What the left says
- Copenhaver's death, along with his lawsuit against the Secret Service and DHS, underscores unresolved questions about the documented security failures that allowed the shooter to access an unsecured rooftop with a clear line of sight.
- His pursuit of legal accountability through the courts, rather than relying solely on political statements, reflects a belief that institutional failures deserve formal investigation and remedy regardless of the political context.
- The lasting physical toll he endured for over two years—multiple surgeries, nerve damage, and permanent bullet fragments—illustrates the long-term human cost of the attack beyond the immediate headlines of 2024.
- His story is presented alongside official government statements and medical details rather than being folded primarily into partisan messaging about the shooting.

## What the right says
- Copenhaver is remembered as a veteran and 'true American patriot' who was wounded while protecting his family, a framing that emphasizes personal sacrifice and bravery rather than victimhood alone.
- His public criticism of Secret Service security lapses is treated as a legitimate and credible firsthand account, since he directly experienced the consequences of those failures.
- Tributes from Trump and House Republicans frame his death as a continuation of the injustice done to attendees at the rally, reinforcing calls for accountability regarding the security breakdown.
- His willingness to publicly share his story, including writing the foreword to a book on the assassination attempt, is viewed as a meaningful act of bearing witness to an event some feel has not been fully reckoned with.

## Common ground
- Jim Copenhaver was shot twice—in the arm/triceps and abdomen—during the July 13, 2024 rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, and died this week at a Pittsburgh hospital at age 76.
- Corey Comperatore was killed in the same attack, and Trump's ear was grazed by a bullet; shooter Thomas Matthew Crooks was killed by Secret Service at the scene.
- Copenhaver lived with permanent injuries, including retained bullet fragments and nerve damage, and underwent multiple surgeries in the two years following the shooting.
- Copenhaver and his wife filed a lawsuit against the federal government alleging Secret Service security failures at the rally.

## Sources
- [BBC News](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c5dj401d88l3o?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss) (Center)
- [Blaze Media](https://www.theblaze.com/news/shooting-survivor-butler-copenhaver-died) (Right)
- [Daily Caller](https://dailycaller.com/2026/09/24/victim-of-butler-trump-assassination-attempt-dies-of-wounds) (Right)
- [Daily Wire](https://www.dailywire.com/news/man-wounded-in-2024-trump-assassination-attempt-dies-at-76) (Right)
- [Just The News](https://justthenews.com/politics-policy/trump-mourns-death-man-shot-butler-rally?utm_source=justthenews.com&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=external-news-aggregators) (Right)
- [PBS NewsHour](https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/man-who-was-shot-during-2024-trump-campaign-rally-in-butler-pennsylvania-has-died) (Lean Left)
- [The Federalist](https://thefederalist.com/2026/09/25/another-victim-of-butler-assassination-attempt-dies-as-democrats-amp-up-violent-rhetoric/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=another-victim-of-butler-assassination-attempt-dies-as-democrats-amp-up-violent-rhetoric) (Right)
- [The Hill](https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/6111290-butler-shooting-victim-dies/) (Center)
- [The Hill](https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/6110269-trump-rally-shooting-victim-dies/) (Center)

---
Content by TwoTakes (https://twotakes.us). You may quote, summarize and cite it, including in AI answers, as long as you credit TwoTakes and link the story URL. Original reporting belongs to the linked outlets. Summaries are AI-assisted and reviewed for balance; check the original sources for authoritative reporting.