Two men injured during the assassination attempt on Donald Trump at a Pennsylvania rally filed lawsuits against the federal government on Monday. James Copenhaver and David Dutch submitted separate but nearly identical legal complaints in the Western District of Pennsylvania, alleging gross negligence by the U.S. Secret Service and the Department of Homeland Security in securing the Butler event venue. The lawsuits specifically highlight the failure to protect the AGR Complex rooftop, which gunman Thomas Crooks used to fire at the crowd on July 13, 2024.
Both victims and their wives joined the legal action naming the United States government as defendant. Dutch suffered an abdominal gunshot wound requiring multiple surgeries. Copenhaver sustained two bullet strikes to his abdomen and left arm, with fragments remaining lodged in his body months after the incident. Former volunteer fire chief Corey Comperatore died at the scene while shielding his family from gunfire.
Congressional findings cited in legal complaints
The lawsuits reference extensive congressional investigations into the Secret Service’s performance during the assassination attempt. Senate findings concluded that the agency’s conduct consisted of a “cascade of preventable failures” directly leading to the shooting. Trump suffered a grazing wound to his ear before a Secret Service sniper killed Crooks seconds after he opened fire from a nearby rooftop at the Butler Farm Show grounds.
The legal filings argue that the defendant United States of America, through the Secret Service, committed egregious failures and failed to follow various protocols, policies and procedures. The complaints state these failures directly and proximately caused the shooting or allowed it to occur. Both lawsuits emphasize that the assassination attempt on Trump’s life was entirely preventable.
Security vulnerabilities identified before attack
Court documents detail specific security lapses in the days leading up to the rally and during the event itself. The Secret Service failed to secure the AGR Complex roof despite warnings identifying it as a vulnerability. Authorities observed Crooks acting erratically and using a range finder in the hours before the shooting, yet the threat was not neutralized.
The lawsuits point to fragmented command structures that prevented critical information sharing. Instead of establishing a single unified command post, the Secret Service created separate command centers. This fragmentation severely impeded the transmission of safety information among security personnel.
- Agents relied on cellphones to pass messages between trailers rather than centralized radio channels
- Communication breakdowns prevented timely threat assessment distribution
- Technological issues hampered coordination between security teams
- Multiple observation points failed to create a unified security picture
Agency acknowledges operational breakdown
The Secret Service has essentially admitted to the failures cited in the lawsuits, according to the legal complaints. The agency acknowledged that breakdowns in communication, technological issues and human failure all contributed to the shooting. Official statements characterized the incident as an operational failure that the Secret Service will carry as a reminder of its zero-fail mission’s critical importance.
Several agents faced accountability measures following the incident. Numerous personnel were suspended without pay, placed on restricted duty or moved into non-operational positions. The disciplinary actions confirm the severity of the security lapses that allowed Crooks to position himself on the rooftop and fire multiple rounds at the rally.
Victims seek compensation for preventable injuries
Both Copenhaver and Dutch are seeking $150,000 in damages, plus interest and attorney fees. The lawsuits argue that proper adherence to Secret Service protocols would have prevented the shooting entirely. The complaints emphasize that the agency’s own admission of failures supports the negligence claims.
The legal action represents the first civil litigation stemming from the assassination attempt. Federal authorities continue investigating the security failures that allowed a gunman to get within shooting range of a former president and current presidential candidate. The White House, Secret Service and Department of Homeland Security have not yet responded to requests for comment on the lawsuits filed in federal court.
