One year after a would-be assassin nearly killed Donald Trump during a campaign rally, the small town of Butler, Pennsylvania, is still reckoning with the trauma—but also determined to move forward.
On July 13, 2024, just minutes into Trump’s speech before a crowd of 15,000 at the Butler Farm Show grounds, 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks opened fire from a rooftop 150 yards away. He fired eight shots with a semi-automatic rifle, striking four people. A Secret Service sniper neutralized him within 15 seconds, but not before tragedy struck.
Trump was grazed by a bullet. Two rallygoers, David Dutch, 58, and James Copenhaver, 74, were seriously injured. And Corey Comperatore, a 50-year-old firefighter and father of two, was fatally shot while shielding his family.
‘The Attack Was on All of Us’
Butler Mayor Bob Dandoy told Newsweek that while the shock and sorrow of that day still linger, his community of 13,000—and the wider Butler County—are ready to reclaim their identity.
“The people who gathered that day were exercising their most basic rights—freedom of assembly and speech,” Dandoy said. “That attack was an attack on all of us.”
This past weekend, more than 1,000 riders participated in a memorial motorcycle ride in honor of Comperatore. Still, Dandoy said Butler is focused on moving forward.
“In the aftermath, we saw unity, strength, and care,” he said. “We do not let that one moment define us. There’s a shared desire here to rise above political differences and rebuild our community together.”
Eyewitness to History
Susan Norman, 75, of nearby West Sunbury, had waited 11 hours in the July heat to see Trump speak. She was standing at the edge of the rally site when the gunfire rang out.
“We heard the shots and saw him fall,” she said. “From where we were, we didn’t know if he had been killed.”
Norman remembers the surreal calm that followed. Instead of panic, she said the crowd stood frozen in shock as Trump, bleeding from the ear, raised his fist and shouted what became the rallying cry of that day: “Fight, fight, fight!”
A year later, Norman, a devout Christian, believes divine intervention spared Trump’s life.
“I truly believe God saved him to help save this country,” she said.
But she also recalled how lax the security felt beforehand. “I said to my son, ‘We could’ve had rifles in the car and walked right up to the fence,’” she said. “It shocked me then, even before the shooting.”
‘We Failed’: Secret Service Response
In the aftermath, the Secret Service acknowledged serious lapses. Seven agents faced discipline, and Director Kimberly Cheatle resigned. Her replacement, Sean Curran, was with Trump when the shots were fired.
“We failed on July 13, 2024,” agency spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi said bluntly. “Since then, we’ve made significant reforms in staffing, training, and technology to ensure it never happens again.”
Curran said he remains focused on honoring the memory of those impacted.
“My heart will always be with Corey Comperatore and the others harmed that day,” Curran said. “The president appointed me knowing what happened. That responsibility weighs heavily every day.”
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt praised Comperatore’s heroism, calling him “a selfless protector of his family.” She added, “On that dark day, God spared President Trump by a miraculous millimeter. Now, one year later, he’s standing stronger than ever.”
A Community United in Grief and Resolve
Representative Mike Kelly (R-PA), whose district includes Butler, chaired a congressional task force that investigated the attack. The group issued 36 recommendations to improve event security and agency leadership.
“In the wake of tragedy, Butler remains stronger than ever,” Kelly told Newsweek. “We still have questions, and we’ll keep pursuing the truth to give the American people the answers they deserve.”
Comperatore’s widow, Helen, was visibly emotional when Trump returned to the site in October. Opera singer Christopher Macchio performed as she wiped away tears. The moment marked both remembrance and resilience.
‘Something Divine’
Chet Jack, a local Republican leader who helped organize the rally, was seated just 30 feet from Comperatore when the shooting began.
“It could’ve been any of us,” he said. “The bullets were random.”
But what stood out most to him was what didn’t happen.
“There was no mass panic. Nobody stampeded,” Jack recalled. “Almost everyone stood still—as if in vigil.”
He believes it was something greater than discipline or fear.
“I’m convinced there was something divine there that kept people safe. I can’t explain it any other way.”
