Two men seriously injured in the Pennsylvania assassination attempt against former US President Donald Trump have blamed the Secret Service for their “100% negligence”.
James Copenhaver, 74, and David Dutch, 57, were critically wounded after each was shot twice during the Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. Notably, firefighter Corey Comperatore, 50, was killed while shielding his family from the sniper’s bullets.
“I believe there was 100% negligence on the Secret Service, probably everybody involved in setting that security, down to inter-department communications,” Dutch told NBC News. “The negligence was vast. It was terrible.”
Copenhaver echoed Dutch’s concerns. “I’m sure there was negligence,” he said, noting that the attack could have been prevented with better security protocols. “It wouldn’t have happened, had it been secure.”
Trump rally shooting survivors say Secret Service failed ‘big time’
When asked if the Secret Service failed to protect both Trump and the rally attendees at the Butler Farm Show fairgrounds, Dutch responded, “Big time.”
“The whole security setup was poor.” He told NBC News, “I was just angry that the whole situation even happened.”
“It should have never happened,” Dutch said. He was struck in the liver by a bullet and said it felt “like getting hit with a sledgehammer right in the chest.” He also recalled seeing pieces of metal and parts of the bleachers “flying all around” as the shots rang out.
Both survivors are dealing with severe health difficulties
Dutch continues to suffer from the effects of the shooting, including ongoing health problems that limit his mobility and prevent him from driving or lifting more than 10 pounds.
Copenhaver, who was shot in the tricep and abdomen, recounted, “I turned around to my friend, and I said, ‘I think I was shot,’ and that’s when I got the second one and then I went down.” Since the attack, Copenhaver has lost 30 pounds, suffers from occasional abdominal pain, and now requires a cane to walk. “I never thought I’d be in this position. I was usually the other guy helping other people out,” he told NBC News.
Lawyers for Dutch and Copenhaver plan to file a lawsuit after they complete an investigation into the entities responsible for the tragic event.
A Senate investigation last month confirmed that the assassination attempt by Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, was both “foreseeable” and “preventable.”
