Two men who were shot during the first assassination attempt on Donald Trump in Pennsylvania have criticised the U.S. Secret Service for failing to protect the former president and bystanders at the campaign rally. David Dutch, 57, an ex-Marine, and James Copenhaver, 74, a retired liquor store manager, recounted the harrowing incident in an exclusive interview with NBC News.
The men were sitting in the bleachers behind the Republican nominee at the fairgrounds in Butler on July 13 when gunshots rang out. Another man, Corey Comperatore, 50, tragically lost his life while shielding his family, and Trump sustained a minor injury to his ear. The shooter, Thomas Matthew Crooks, was fatally shot by sharpshooters after opening fire from an unsecured rooftop nearby.
David Dutch described the feeling of being hit with a sledgehammer in the chest and witnessing debris flying around during the shooting. He expressed anger and disbelief that such an incident could occur, stating, “It should have never happened.” Both Dutch and Copenhaver, who suffered critical injuries, indicated that they are exploring potential litigation against the Secret Service for what they perceive as negligence in security measures.
Kimberly Cheatle, the director of the Secret Service at the time of the incident, referred to the assassination attempt as the agency’s “most significant operational failure” in years. Following calls for her resignation, Cheatle stepped down from her position this summer. Despite the ordeal, Trump recently returned to the Pennsylvania fairgrounds and encouraged a large crowd to secure an Election Day victory, tying his resilience after the shooting to the importance of the upcoming election.
The real-life events surrounding the Pennsylvania assassination attempt on Trump continue to raise questions about security protocols and the responsibilities of the Secret Service in safeguarding public figures and events.