The audience member killed in last night’s shocking assassination attempt at a Donald Trump rally has been identified as Corey Comperatore, a retired fire chief from Buffalo Township, who was sitting behind the former president when shooter Thomas Matthew Crooks opened fire.
Crooks, 20, opened fire as the former president was speaking onstage at the event in Butler, Pennsylvania. Trump narrowly escaped with his life as a bullet grazed his right ear before he was hustled offstage. Crooks was killed at the scene along with a second person in the crowd, with two others in critical condition.
Corey Comperatore has been hailed as a hero who dove to shield his wife and daughters from the gunfire. His last photo on social media shows him celebrating his 50th birthday with his family. His sister, Allyson Comperatore, expressed her grief on Facebook: “The PA Trump Rally claimed the life of my brother, Corey Comperatore. The hatred for one man took the life of the one man we loved the most. He was a hero who shielded his daughters. His wife and girls just lived through the unthinkable and unimaginable. My baby brother just turned 50 and had so much life left to experience. Hatred has no limits and love has no bounds. Pray for my sister-in-law, nieces, my mother, sister, me, and his nieces and nephews as this feels like a terrible nightmare but we know it is our painful reality.”
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro confirmed Mr. Comperatore’s death, saying he “died a hero.”
A doctor on the scene tried to save Mr. Comperatore, giving him CPR right in the bleachers where he fell, as Donald Trump’s security team whisked him off. The former president received a shot to the ‘upper part’ of his ear and was left with a trail of blood running down his face. Members of the Secret Service quickly enveloped the scene and shielded the ex-president while nearby snipers retaliated against the assailant. Law enforcement officials are treating the incident at the rally as a deliberate attempt on the life of the expected Republican nominee.
The rally took an unexpected turn when Trump displayed a border crossing statistics chart. A sudden loud noise interrupted the proceedings, and Trump spontaneously raised his hand to his ear. The specifics remain vague, including questions over whether Trump was struck by bullets or wounded during the rapid response by his security team.
Following the pandemonium, Trump was spotted diving for shelter while Secret Service agents flooded the stage amidst screams from the spectators. Sounds resembling gunshots continued even while agents were attending to Trump on the platform. As he was led away, Trump raised his clenched fist towards the crowd in a defiant gesture, sparking chants of “USA!” from his followers. Police promptly evacuated the fairgrounds once Trump was removed from the stage.