America has lost another patriot whose life was forever changed on that terrible afternoon in Butler.

James “Jim” Copenhaver, 76, died Wednesday, more than two years after he was shot twice during the July 13, 2024 assassination attempt against President Trump.

Copenhaver’s cause of death has not been disclosed. What is known is that he endured the aftermath of the attack with the strength his family says defined his life.

The Butler Eagle reports that Copenhaver died at West Penn Hospital in Pittsburgh, according to the Allegheny County medical examiner. Family attorney Joseph Feldman said he was surrounded by loved ones.

The local paper also reported that Copenhaver was struck in the tricep and abdomen when a gunman opened fire at the Butler Farm Show grounds. The shooting killed volunteer fire chief Corey Comperatore, who died shielding his family, and seriously wounded Marine veteran David Dutch.

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Those names belong to Americans who went to a campaign rally and found themselves in the line of fire.

For Copenhaver, survival did not mean the ordeal was over. His family said he was gravely wounded and faced every challenge that followed with strength and resolve.

ABC News reports that his loved ones remembered him as a devoted husband, father and grandfather, as well as an armed-forces veteran whose dedication to America was a defining part of his life. His family also expressed gratitude for the prayers and support that carried them through the past two years.

House Republicans said Copenhaver endured “unimaginable hardship with strength and perseverance.” Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro offered condolences and described the painful reality now facing another Butler family: an empty seat at the dinner table.

That empty seat is the real cost of political violence. Long after the cameras leave, families carry what happened into every holiday, every birthday and every ordinary evening that is suddenly missing someone.

President Trump marked Copenhaver’s passing with a tribute of his own, calling him an “American Patriot and Warrior” and asking God to bless his family.

The Butler attack was preventable. That was the conclusion of the bipartisan House task force after months of witness interviews, evidence review and hearings on the 2024 assassination attempts.

The task force found failures in advance planning and in the execution of security on July 13. The nearby American Glass Research complex had a clear line of sight to the stage, yet the grounds and building were not secured.

Officials also failed to establish clear responsibility for the area, leaving patrol and surveillance gaps as the gunman drew attention from people outside the perimeter.

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The report found that misunderstandings between the Secret Service and local law enforcement compounded the danger. Local snipers believed the ground outside the secure perimeter was being watched by Secret Service teams, while communications problems kept critical information from reaching the people responsible for President Trump’s protection in time.

The task force did not reduce Butler to one bad decision. It found that failures in planning, execution and leadership combined to expose President Trump and the entire crowd to grave danger.

The country owes accountability to Copenhaver, Comperatore, Dutch and every family that trusted the government to secure that rally.

But today, the first duty is remembrance.

Jim Copenhaver was more than a victim of one of the darkest moments in modern American politics. He was a husband, a father, a grandfather, a veteran and a patriot who kept going after being grievously wounded.

May God comfort the Copenhaver family, continue to strengthen the Comperatore and Dutch families, and grant Jim Copenhaver eternal rest.

This is a Guest Post from our friends over at WLTReport. View the original article here.

 

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