EXCLUSIVE: Victims of Trump Assassination Attempt to Attend Inauguration
The two victims who were injured in the July assassination attempt against President-elect Trump will be attending the 47th president’s inauguration on January 20 in Washington, D.C. David Dutch, 57, and James Copenhaver, 74, were critically wounded when gunman Thomas Crooks, 20, fired at then-presidential candidate Trump as he was speaking at a podium during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania on July 13.
James and David are very appreciative of President Trump and his team for inviting them to attend the Inauguration weekend, and they are honored to take part in the festivities alongside the incoming administration and other guests. President Trump has treated both of our clients as though they are family.
The two victims have spent weeks in the hospital recovering from their injuries, which have impacted their day-to-day lives since, and they are planning to seek accountability. Although they are far from recovery and will never be fully recovered, it is a tribute to their strength and love of country that they will make the trip to the Inauguration.
A third victim, Corey Comperatore, a husband, father of two, and former fire chief, died after he was shot while protecting his wife and daughters from gunfire. The victims would like to remember that while they and President Trump will have the great honor of being together at the Inauguration, there is one individual who will not be joining them, and they wish to once again send their prayers and condolences to the Comperatore family.
The victims have lingering questions about how Crooks was able to get onto the roof of the nearby one-story, American Glass Research (AGR) building and shoot at Trump about 150 yards from the candidate’s podium. The building was located near the rally but technically not within the official perimeter.
The House Task Force investigating the July and September assassination attempts on Trump’s life released its final report in December, detailing “preexisting conditions and leadership failures” that led to the deadly campaign rally in Pennsylvania. The report recommended the government reexamine whether the Secret Service should operate as an independent agency rather than under the Department of Homeland Security.