Two men shot by Thomas Matthew Crooks at Trump’s Butler rally reveal who they blame as they describe their life-changing injuries
Two men who brutally wounded Thomas Matthew Crooks during Donald Trump’s deadly July 13 rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, have opened up about what happened after they were shot.
Jim Copenhaver, 74, and David Dutch, 54, were both hit after Crooks, now 20, opened fire on the ex-president. Tragically, Crook’s father and firefighter Corey killed Comperatore while protecting his family.
The pair revealed for the first time what happened to them after they received a barrage of gunfire and sat down with Tom Llamas on NBC Nightly News in a highly anticipated interview that aired Monday night.
Copenhaver was shot twice and Dutch once in the chest. Both men suffered life-changing injuries as a result of that day.
“It was like being hit in the chest with a sledgehammer,” Dutch said.
David Dutch, 54, and Jim Copenhaver, 74, spoke to NBC News to reveal what happened to them after they were shot by Thomas Matthew Crooks during Donald Trump’s July 13 rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, where the ex-president was shot
“I knew it as soon as I got hit because bits of bleachers and scrap metal were flying around until he finished shooting,” he continued.
The bullet split Dutch’s liver.
Copenhaver similarly described the utter confusion after the bullets started flying.
“I heard part of my sleeve go away, and I heard psheww,” he noted of the sound the passing projectile made.
“I mean, I heard it clearly. And I turned to my friend and said, “I think I got shot.”
‘Then I got the second one. And then I went downstairs,” the 74-year-old said. “I mean, I didn’t realize anything except that I couldn’t figure out why my shirt was coming off so quickly.”
Copenhaver still has one of the bullets in it and he is suffering from nerve damage as a result of his injuries.
The two also blamed the security officials in charge that day.
Republican candidate Donald Trump is seen with blood on his face, surrounded by Secret Service agents, as he is taken off stage during a campaign event in Butler, Pennsylvania, July 13, 2024.
Police snipers return fire after shots were fired as Republican presidential candidate, former President Donald Trump, spoke at a campaign event in Butler, Pennsylvania, July 13, 2024
“The negligence was enormous,” Dutch said. ‘It was terrible.’
“I believe there was 100 percent negligence by the Secret Service, probably by everyone involved in setting up that security, down to interdepartmental communications,” he added.
Dutch and Copenhaver said they believe the Secret Service and law enforcement failed Trump and innocent bystanders.
“The entire security was bad,” Dutch said, adding that the security lapse infuriated him when Crooks “tried to shoot the president and shot into a defenseless crowd.”
“I was just angry that the whole situation even happened. It should never have happened,” he continued.
Lawyers representing the two men will wait until investigations into the incidents continue before deciding which parties should be held liable. NBC News reported.
Republican presidential candidate, former President Donald Trump, returns to a campaign rally at the Butler Farm Show, Saturday, October 5, 2024, in Butler, Pennsylvania
Gunman Thomas Matthew Crooks’ bullet grazed Trump’s ear
Dutch and Copenhaver claim the tragedy has left them crippled with ongoing health problems.
Both have lost weight and are having trouble with their mobility.
Copenhaver has lost 30 pounds, now needs a cane and has occasional pain in his upper body.
Dutch said he has lost 25 pounds, cannot drive or carry more than 10 pounds and needs constant care for his gunshot wound.
“I never thought I would end up in this position,” Dutch said. “Most of the time I was the other guy helping other people.”
“It’s a struggle every day,” he continued.
The aftermath of the Butler campaign rally after everyone had left the venue
In the aftermath of the shooting, former Secret Service director Kimberly Cheatle was dragged before Congress to testify before resigning the next day.
The agency has been in trouble since the incident, especially because months later, on September 15, a second assassination attempt on Trump took place.
Several investigations into the shooting are still ongoing.