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Man who was shot during 2024 Trump campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, has died

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Cite

GENE JOHNSON Associated Press, & JULIE CARR SMYTH Associated Press. (2026, September 24). Man who was shot during 2024 Trump campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, has died. ABC News (US). https://abcnews.com/US/wireStory/man-shot-2024-trump-campaign-rally-butler-pennsylvania-136737152

Dated when The Aporia collected the article, usually within hours of publication. Check the original for its exact date and byline.

ABC News (US) · collected 2026-09-24 · by GENE JOHNSON Associated Press, JULIE CARR SMYTH Associated Press

Quick Summary

James Copenhaver, one of three people shot during a 2024 Trump campaign rally assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania, died at age 76 on Wednesday in Pittsburgh. He was wounded in the arm and abdomen by a gunman who fired shots from a rooftop, grazing then-candidate Donald Trump’s ear. Two others were also injured; one survivor and another fatally shot. Copenhaver's lawyer said he died surrounded by loved ones but did not specify if his death was directly linked to his injuries. The article focuses on the tragic aftermath of the shooting and highlights Copenhaver’s enduring patriotism and dedication to his country.
Written by AI on 2026-09-25, from this article's own text only (the story summary below draws on all the coverage).

AI analysis

Story summary

James Copenhaver, a 76-year-old man who was shot during an assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13, 2024, has died. Copenhaver was one of three people injured that day; he suffered gunshot wounds to his left arm and abdomen, leaving him with life-altering injuries and walking with a cane. The shooting occurred when Thomas Matthew Crooks, a 20-year-old gunman, fired from a nearby rooftop. Copenhaver died on Wednesday at Allegheny Health Network’s West Penn Hospital in Pittsburgh. His lawyer, Joseph Feldman, confirmed that he passed away surrounded by loved ones and stated that the family was deeply grateful for the support they received over the past two years.

Written for “Trump Rally Shooting Victim Dies” on 2026-11-01, grounded in this article and the 10 other(s) covering the same event.

Story

📰 Trump Rally Shooting Victim Dies
Politics · 11 article(s) covering the same event. Compare every outlet's account →

Compared with similar articles

This article reads leans left and hedges 5% of its claims. Each row says how that neighbour differs.
NPR
Hedges 1 of 17 claims Outlet record 60/100
Toronto Star
Hedges 0 of 3 claims Outlet record 64/100
ABC News (AU)
Hedges 0 of 3 claims Outlet record 68/100
ABC News (US)
Hedges 4 of 22 claims Outlet record 70/100
The Guardian
⚖️ Leans left Hedges 1 of 11 claims Outlet record 66/100
Times of India
Hedges 2 of 13 claims Outlet record 59/100
Daily Mail
Hedges 5 of 37 claims Outlet record 68/100
New York Post
Hedges 4 of 28 claims Outlet record 66/100
Euronews
Hedges 0 of 11 claims Outlet record 60/100
The Independent
Hedges 1 of 7 claims Outlet record 59/100
How this article was measured signals, leaning charts, publisher record, byline, topics and claims

Signals How these are calculated →

Claims extracted
20
sentences that state something as happening or true
Uncertain
5%
1 of 20 hedged ("reportedly", "may", "according to")
Leaning
Leans left
of the writing, not the subject · beta estimate
Publisher signals
70/100
ABC News (US)'s corrections and hedging, across everything collected from it. Not a measure of accuracy.
Outlets on this story
11
Politics
Same framing elsewhere
2
articles that frame the event the way this one does
Analyzed 2026-09-25 · how these are computed

How this is being covered How these are calculated →

Article leaning vs. publisher reliability
Source leaning vs. consistency

Publisher

ABC News (US) · 1277 article(s) · 3 correction(s) detected
Running correction rate · 3 correction(s)

Who wrote this

GENE JOHNSON Associated Press
2 article(s) here · 0 carrying a prediction
🔮 She told the administration to cancel any remaining ads, including any set to air Sunday night, in granting a temporary restraining order.
Wire or desk byline, not an individual reporter.
Also by GENE JOHNSON Associated Press
Nothing else under this byline is closely related to this article, so these are simply their most recent.
JULIE CARR SMYTH Associated Press
2 article(s) here · 0 carrying a prediction
Wire or desk byline, not an individual reporter.
Also by JULIE CARR SMYTH Associated Press
Nothing else under this byline is closely related to this article, so these are simply their most recent.

Topics

Allegheny County Allegheny Health Network’s Butler Pennsylvania Pittsburgh

Subjects

Copenhaver PERSON · 8× Butler PERSON · 2× Donald Trump PERSON · 2× James PERSON · 2× James Copenhaver PERSON · 2× Pennsylvania GPE · 2× Pittsburgh GPE · 2× Trump PERSON · 2× Corey Comperatore PERSON · 1× David Dutch PERSON · 1×

Narrative

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.
framing: assertive · carried by 2 article(s) · first seen 2026-09-25

Claims (20 extracted, 1 hedged)

Man who was shot during 2024 Trump campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, has died asserted
who → shoot → Butler
James Copenhaver, one of three campaign rally attendees shot in 2024 during an assassination attempt on then-candidate Donald Trump, has died asserted
Copenhaver → shoot → Trump
James Copenhaver, one of three campaign rally attendees shot in 2024 during an assassination attempt on then-candidate Donald Trump, has died in Pittsburgh, his lawyer said Thursday. asserted
lawyer → shoot → Pittsburgh
Copenhaver was in the bleachers during the event in Butler, Pennsylvania, when a 20-year-old gunman opened fire from a nearby rooftop, grazing Trump’s right ear with one bullet. asserted
gunman → open → bullet
Copenhaver was struck in the arm and in the abdomen, wounds that left him with lingering injuries and walking with a cane. asserted
that → strike → cane
Two other attendees were also shot — David Dutch, who survived, and Corey Comperatore, who shielded his family from gunfire and was killed. asserted
who → shoot → gunfire
Copenhaver died Wednesday at Allegheny Health Network’s West Penn Hospital in Pittsburgh, according to a statement from the Allegheny County medical examiner cited in local media accounts. uncertain
Copenhaver → die → accounts
Copenhaver’s lawyer, Joseph Feldman, said in a statement issued on behalf of the family that he died surrounded by loved ones. asserted
he → say → ones
The statement did not specify if his death was directly related to the injuries he suffered at the rally. asserted
he → specify → rally
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. asserted
Service → sue → 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. asserted
he → require → leg
The lawsuit described the wounds as “debilitating, grievous, permanent and life altering.” asserted
lawsuit → describe → wounds
The family's statement Thursday called Copenhaver above all else a devoted husband, father and grandfather who instilled the values of hard work, integrity and the service to others in his children. asserted
who → call → children
“James’s dedication to this great country was a defining part of his life,” it said. asserted
it → define → life
“As a veteran, he proudly served our nation in the armed forces, and his love of country never wavered. asserted
love → serve → country
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.” asserted
he → believe → nation
The White House did not immediately comment on Copenhaver’s death. asserted
House → comment → death
In a statement posted to social media, the House Republican Conference said he had “endured unimaginable hardship with strength and perseverance.” asserted
he → post → strength
“We join his family and loved ones in mourning his loss and praying for them during this difficult time,” the statement said. asserted
statement → join → time
Johnson reported from Seattle and Smyth from Columbus, Ohio. asserted
Johnson → report → Columbus
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