You probably don’t know who Jim Copenhaver was for understandable reasons. He was one of the three spectators who were shot at the Donald Trump rally in Butler, Pa., on July 13, 2024, but his injuries that night weren’t fatal. The two shooting victims most everyone knows about from Butler are President Donald Trump himself and Corey Comperatore, a former fire chief from Buffalo Township, Pa., who was killed at the scene that night.

Had Copenhaver and David Dutch, the other victim who survived, died that evening, you’d probably be more familiar with their names as well, but thankfully they lived.

Sadly, Copenhaver’s family has announced that the 76-year-old husband, father, grandfather, military veteran, and Republican committeeman from Moon Township, Pa., has died. While no cause of death has been given, his family issued a statement through its lawyer saying he passed away on Sept. 23 “surrounded by his loved ones.”

For today, we won’t do the killer the honor of mentioning his name, but to say his actions that day took their toll would be an understatement. The shooter left visible and invisible scars on his victims. NBC News reported that Copenhaver’s family described his injuries from the Butler shooting as “life-altering” and "grave."

The family also said in its statement after Copenhaver died that he was grateful to so many for their outpouring of compassion in the wake of the Butler shooting in 2024. He also considered his own military service to the United States a defining aspect of his life.

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“As a veteran, he proudly served our nation in the armed forces, and his love of country never wavered,” the family said in its statement. “James was a true American patriot who believed deeply in the freedoms and ideals upon which this nation was founded, and he embodied the very best traits of our great nation.”

Copenhaver’s injuries from the Butler shooting included a bullet to his tricep and one to his abdomen that pierced his colon and left permanent nerve damage, requiring doctors to transect or alter his colon. 

Months after the shooting, when interviewed by KDKA-TV in Pittsburgh about what he remembered from that day, Copenhaver said he heard the shots distinctly, and when he turned to his friend, he said he thought he had been shot.

"I was standing up looking at the Jumbotron behind me, and next thing I know my sleeve has been yanked," Copenhaver told KDKA. "I could see a portion of it going by pretty fast, and I heard 'pew.' I heard it, and I didn't realize at the time that I had gotten shot. But I turned around, and that's when I got the second shot."

Months after the Butler shooting, Copenhaver told reporters that he had lost 30 pounds and required a cane to walk.

After news broke of Copenhaver’s death, the House Republicans commented on the X platform: “We are deeply saddened by the passing of Jim Copenhaver, who was gravely wounded in the horrific shooting in Butler, Pennsylvania… Jim endured unimaginable hardship with strength and perseverance. We join his family and loved ones in mourning his loss and praying for them during this difficult time."

Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday posted a statement on X about Copenhaver’s passing, saying that Copenhaver died from “complications from those wounds” he received in Butler.

The Associated Press reported that Copenhaver and his wife, Marianne Copenhaver, “sued the federal government in June, alleging that the Secret Service and Department of Homeland Security had ‘utterly failed’ to provide appropriate security at the rally. Copenhaver’s injuries required multiple surgeries, including a transection of his colon, and he had lingering kidney and other damage, including a loss of feeling in his leg. The lawsuit described the wounds as ‘debilitating, grievous, permanent and life altering.’”

If you look at any of the video and media coverage from that day, it’s hard to argue with the Copenhavers. There were so many lapses in security, and ithey've only been compounded by the lack of transparency from the feds and the Secret Service ever since.

Upon hearing of Copenhaver’s passing, President Trump said, “More than two years ago in Butler, Pennsylvania, a crazed gunman attempted to stifle our America First Movement. Instead, Jim and so many other wonderful Patriots who love our Country, stood united in defense of our shared values of Freedom, Liberty, and Justice."

After being wounded while protecting his family, Jim showed tremendous bravery, courageously continuing to FIGHT, FIGHT, FIGHT, and maintaining a positive spirit despite unimaginable hardships. His indelible legacy of love and devotion will forever endure. Our hearts and prayers are with the Copenhaver family, especially his incredible wife Mariannee, the president said.