PENNSYLVANIA—Former Fire Chief for the Buffalo Township Volunteer Fire Company, Corey Comperatore, of Sarver, Pennsylvania, who recently turned 50 years old, was killed by would-be assassin, Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, while attending a Trump campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday, July 13.
“He shielded my body from the bullet that came at us…He loved his family. He truly loved us enough to take a real bullet for us. And I want nothing more than to cry on him and tell him thank you,” wrote Allyson Comperatore, daughter of Corey Comperatore, on a Facebook post.
Allyson shared that her father was “a real-life superhero” and “the best dad a girl could ever ask for.”
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro (D) shared, on behalf of the Comperatore’s wife, Helena, that “Corey dove on his family to protect them last night at this rally,” the Pittsburgh Post Gazette reports.
We lost a fellow Pennsylvanian last night: Corey Comperatore.
Earlier today, I spoke to his wife and his two daughters. They asked me to share that Corey died a hero — diving on his family to protect them from danger.
I’ve ordered United States and Commonwealth flags to be… pic.twitter.com/UEN3P4D1Ju
— Governor Josh Shapiro (@GovernorShapiro) July 14, 2024
When Corey Comperatore, sitting in the bleachers behind President Donald J Trump, heard the gunshots directed at the president, he “threw” his wife Helena and daughter Allyson, who were attending the rally with him, to the ground and used his body to shield them from the bullets. Corey was fatally struck while protecting his family in a final heroic selfless act of fatherhood.
“Dad, I love you so much that there aren’t enough words to express how deep that love goes,” Allyson wrote. “I know you’ll give heaven some hell. I know that God is proud of the man that came to His gates yesterday [heart emoji].”
Besides being a former fire chief, Corey was a man of faith who “went to church every Sunday,” Governor Shapiro said.
Richburg Fire-Rescue in a Facebook post wrote, “If you want to have someone as a role model, Chief Corey Comperatore proved yesterday what heroism is and what we should all strive to be!”
Corey was fatally shot by would-be assassin Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, of Bethal Park, Pennsylvania. Crooks left two others in serious condition and President Trump with a bloody right ear.
With his fist raise in defiance and shielded by U.S. Secret Service field agents, Trump shouted, “Fight! Fight! Fight!” as he looked into the crowd. Attendees dumbfounded by the assassination attempt, then chanted “USA! USA! USA!” The shooter, Crooks, was neutralized by the U.S. Secret Service.
Trump released on July 14 the following statement on his social media platform Truth Social:
“Thank you to everyone for your thoughts and prayers yesterday, as it was God alone who prevented the unthinkable from happening. We will FEAR NOT, but instead remain resilient in our Faith and Defiant in the face of Wickedness.
“Our love goes out to the other victims and their families. We pray for the recovery of those who were wounded and hold in our hearts the memory of the citizen who was so horribly killed.
“In this moment, it is more important than ever that we stand United, and show our True Character as Americans, remaining Strong and Determined, and not allowing Evil to Win. I truly love our Country, and love you all, and look forward to speaking to our Great Nation this week from Wisconsin.”
The attempt on President Trump’s life comes days before he is to officially receive the Republican Presidential nomination at the Republican National Convention this week in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. On March 12, with his Washington state victory, Trump clinched enough delegates to be the Republican Party’s official presumptive nominee.
Former First Lady Melania Trump offered her “sincerest sympathy” to the victims of Saturday’s assassination attempt of her husband. Mrs. Trump called for “love, compassion, kindness and empathy” and to not let the act of a “monster” divide the country.
“This morning, ascend above the hate, the vitriol, and the simple-minded ideas that ignite violence,” wrote the former First Lady on Truth Social. “We all want a world where respect is paramount, family is first, and love transcends. We can realize this world again. Each of us demand to get it back. We must insist that respect fills the cornerstone of our relationships, again.”
As of the publishing of this article, a GoFundMe for the Comperatore family titled, “Support Allyson After Tragic Loss” garnered almost $620,000 with donations as much as $25,000. A second GoFundMe for all of the victims of the assassination attempt on Trump titled, “Support For Butler PA Victims – President Trump Authorized” has garnered over $3 million.
The flag got tangled today at the Trump rally, before Trump came on stage. Looks like an angel. pic.twitter.com/1BwjHTvotu
— 1776 (@TheWakeninq) July 14, 2024
