2 Butler Rally Survivors Sue U.S. for $150,000 Each Over Secret Service Failures

3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Jun 5

James Copenhaver and David Dutch filed separate lawsuits Monday in federal court in Pennsylvania, accusing the U.S. government of gross negligence after they were shot at the July 13, 2024 Trump rally in Butler.
The complaints say the Secret Service and DHS left the AGR Complex roof unsecured, ignored warnings about the site, and ran fragmented command posts that blocked critical information sharing before gunman Thomas Crooks opened fire.
The filings also allege agents relied on cellphones instead of centralized radio channels even after Crooks was seen acting erratically and using a range finder in the hours before the shooting.
Dutch was shot in the abdomen and underwent multiple surgeries; Copenhaver was hit in the abdomen and arm, with bullet fragments still lodged in his body. Each suit seeks $150,000 plus interest and attorney fees.
The case revives scrutiny of an attack that grazed Trump's ear, killed attendee Corey Comperatore, and was later described by Senate investigators and the Secret Service itself as a cascade of preventable failures.