Corey Comperatore, 50, has been identified by his family as the individual fatally shot during an assassination attempt on former President Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania. Comperatore, a former fire chief for Buffalo Township and a volunteer firefighter, was killed by Thomas Matthew Crooks, who fired from a sniper’s position about 130 yards away during the campaign rally.
The tragic incident also left two others seriously wounded, while former President Trump narrowly escaped harm with a slight graze to his ear.
Comperatore’s sister, Dawn Comperatore Schafer, expressed her grief and highlighted her brother’s heroism in a Facebook post. “His wife and girls just lived through the unthinkable and unimaginable,” she wrote. Schafer expressed her grief, stating her baby brother just turned 50 and had a lot of life left. She called for prayers for their family as they navigate this painful and surreal reality.
Witnesses at the rally reported that Comperatore sustained a gunshot wound to the head, and an emergency room physician who was present administered CPR. Another family member, presumably Comperatore’s daughter Allyson, also shared her grief on Facebook, calling her father “the best dad a girl could ask for.” She recounted his heroic actions, stating, “The media will not tell you that he died a real-life superhero.” She highlighted how he protected his family by throwing them to the ground and shielding them from the bullet.
An online fundraising campaign has raised nearly $80,000 to support Comperatore’s family.
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro spoke with Comperatore’s wife, emphasizing Corey’s strong faith and love for his family and community. Shapiro noted that Comperatore was a devoted father, a firefighter, a regular churchgoer, and an avid supporter of the former president. Shapiro added that “Corey died a hero, protecting his family” and stressed the importance of resolving political disagreements peacefully.
Comperatore’s neighbor, Matt Achilles, shared that Comperatore was a great neighbor and committed public servant. “He was a good person,” Achilles said. “We might not have agreed on the same political views, but that didn’t stop him from being a good friend and neighbor.”
