Copenhaver died on Wednesday at Allegheny Health Network's West Penn Hospital in Pittsburgh, according to a statement from the Allegheny County medical examiner reported by local media. The Pennsylvania attorney general said his death stemmed from complications related to his injuries, the BBC reported. A statement issued on behalf of the family by his lawyer, Joseph Feldman, did not specify whether his death was directly related to the rally injuries, ABC reported.
Copenhaver was in the bleachers at the Butler rally on 13 July 2024 when a 20-year-old gunman, Thomas Crooks, opened fire from a nearby rooftop before being killed by Secret Service agents. Copenhaver was struck in the arm and the abdomen; a year after the shooting, the bullet remained lodged near his spine.
Two other attendees were also shot: David Dutch, who survived, and Corey Comperatore, who was killed while shielding his family from gunfire. Trump's right ear was grazed by a bullet.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump called Copenhaver a "true American patriot." "More than two years ago in Butler, Pennsylvania, a crazed gunman attempted to stifle our America First Movement," Trump wrote, adding that his "hearts and prayers are with the Copenhaver family, especially his incredible wife Marianne."
Copenhaver's lawyer said his dedication to the US was a "defining part of his life." "As a veteran, he proudly served our nation in the armed forces, and his love of country never wavered," Feldman said in a statement.
The family's statement described Copenhaver as a devoted husband, father and grandfather who instilled values of hard work and service. His injuries required multiple surgeries, including a transection of his colon, and left him with kidney damage, a loss of feeling in his leg and the need to walk with a cane.
In June, Copenhaver and his wife, Marianne, sued the federal government, alleging that the Secret Service and Department of Homeland Security had "utterly failed" to provide appropriate security at the rally. The lawsuit described his wounds as "debilitating, grievous, permanent and life-altering."