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Pennsylvania State Police identify victims shot during attempted assassination of former President Trump

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Pennsylvania State Police identify victims shot during attempted assassination of former President Trump


The Pennsylvania State Police released the names of the three attendees shot during the attempted assassination of former President Trump at Saturday’s rally in Butler County.

The deceased victim was identified as Corey Comperatore, 50, of Sarver, Pennsylvania.

The second victim was identified as 57-year-old David Dutch of New Kensington, Pennsylvania, who is listed in stable condition. The third victim was identified as 74-year-old James Copenhaver of Moon Township, Pennsylvania; he is also listed in stable condition.

“I am sure everyone has seen the news and are appalled at how divided we have become. Well, it has finally hit home to the League. It is with great sadness that I report that one of the civilians shot at the rally was one of our own,” Matt Popovich, District 8 vice commandant of the Marine Corps League of Pennsylvania Inc. wrote in a post on Facebook.

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TRUMP’S SURVIVAL WAS ‘MIRACULOUS’ GIVEN BULLET’S PROXIMITY TO HIS BRAIN, DOCTOR SAYS

Corey Comperatore, a former fire chief, was killed in a shooting at former President Trump’s rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13, 2024. (Facebook)

“Commandant David Dutch of Westmoreland County is in critical condition. He was shot in the liver and chest. He has had one surgery and is undergoing another this morning. He is currently in an induced coma. Please keep him and his family in your prayers,” Popovich continued.

TRUMP RALLY VICTIM IDENTIFIED AS COREY COMPERATORE, ‘HERO’ SHIELDED WIFE AND GIRLS FROM BULLETS

When Fox News Digital reached out to the Marine Corps League of Pennsylvania Inc., they declined to comment. 

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Blood is seen in the stands after guns were fired at Republican candidate Donald Trump at a campaign event at Butler Farm Show Inc.

Blood is seen in the stands after shots were fired at Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump at a campaign event in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13, 2024. (Rebecca Droke/AFP via Getty Images)

“These victims and their families are certainly in our thoughts today,” said Col. Christopher Paris, Pennsylvania State Police commissioner. “The Pennsylvania State Police continue to work tirelessly alongside our federal, state and local partners as this investigation continues.”

WHO WAS THOMAS MATTHEW CROOKS? WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT TRUMP’S ATTEMPTED ASSASSIN

Trump supporters are seen covered with blood in the stands

Supporters are seen covered with blood in the stands after shots were fired at Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump at a campaign event in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13, 2024. (Rebecca Droke/AFP via Getty Images)

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro ordered U.S. and state flags on all state facilities, public buildings and grounds to fly at half-staff in Comperatore’s honor.

Comperatore, 50, was a former fire chief for Buffalo Township, a volunteer fire service, local news station WPXI reported.

Shapiro said on Sunday he spoke with Comperatore’s wife, who noted that he was a man of faith.

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“We lost a fellow Pennsylvanian last night,” Shapiro said at a news conference. “Corey Comperatore was a girl dad. Corey was a firefighter. Corey went to church every Sunday. Corey loved his community, and most especially, Corey loved his family. Corey was an avid supporter of the former president and was so excited to be there last night with him in the community.”

During Sunday’s press conference, Shapiro called on Americans to come together in prayer and to retreat from hate and malice. 

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“This is a moment where all of us have a responsibility to take down the temperature, rise above the hateful rhetoric that exists, and search for a better, brighter future for this nation. I ask that you join Lori and me in prayer for the two Pennsylvanians still in critical condition, for the family of Corey Comperatore, and for former President Donald Trump,” Shapiro said.

The FBI is investigating the shooting as an assassination attempt.

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Fox News Digital’s Michael Dorgan and Chris Pandolfo contributed to this report. 



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Pennsylvania

Future Oscar Hammerstein Museum in Doylestown gets $500K in Pa. funds

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Future Oscar Hammerstein Museum in Doylestown gets 0K in Pa. funds


Junker said members of the executive committee have launched their own matching challenge, donating $100,000 once the same amount has been raised.

The museum bought Highland Farm a year ago from the previous owner who operated it as a Rodgers and Hammerstein–themed bed-and-breakfast. Hammerstein lived in the farmhouse for the last 20 years of his life, a period when he and composer Richard Rodgers created some of the most enduring musicals of American theater, including “The Sound of Music,” “Oklahoma” and “South Pacific.”

“Institutions like this help us to lead lives of purpose and meaning, they enrich our lives and provide opportunities for lifelong learning for folks of all ages,” said state Rep. Tim Brennan, a former board member of the museum. “Investing in this organization is an investment in our future.”

The first RACP grant in 2020 went toward buying the property and doing basic maintenance.

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“One of the first things we did was install a security system,” Junker said. “Because we have started to collect some artifacts.”



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2 Western Pennsylvania men charged in murder-for-hire plot confession to pastor, police say

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2 Western Pennsylvania men charged in murder-for-hire plot confession to pastor, police say


State police in Western Pennsylvania have charged two men in a murder-for-hire plot after one of the suspects allegedly confessed to his pastor.

NBC News affiliate WJAC reports David Vanatta, 49, and Colton Baird, 32, both of Elk County, were jailed for an alleged plot to kill Vanatta’s ex-wife.

An affidavit obtained by WJAC states Vanetta confessed to a pastor that he paid Baird $2,000 to kill his ex-wife. The pastor then reported the information to police.

Police say the ex-wife was never harmed.

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Online court records show Vanatta and Baird are facing several charges, including criminal solicitation – criminal homicide, conspiracy to commit criminal homicide and attempted homicide. Both men are being held in the Elk County Prison without bail.

Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts.

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How the Lehigh Valley helped Pennsylvania’s outdoor recreation economy grow to $19B

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How the Lehigh Valley helped Pennsylvania’s outdoor recreation economy grow to B


Forget elves: Patrick Brogan and his team at ArtsQuest are the reason some of country singer/songwriter Megan Moroney’s fans will awake on Christmas to find tickets waiting for them to her show July 31 in Bethlehem.

Planning the lineup featuring headliners like Moroney at ArtsQuest’s Musikfest each summer, plus other draws like its Levitt Pavilion outdoor concert series, is a year-round activity.

“We put out offers for the following year’s Musikfest before that year’s Musikfest even takes place,” said Brogan, chief programming officer for the nonprofit ArtsQuest. “By the Fourth of July I have offers out for the following year’s Musikfest already and we’re in active conversations.”

Nationally, festivals, sporting events and concerts are a big business, contributing $21.8 billion in 2023 toward an outdoor recreation economy that rose 9% to $639.5 billion compared to 2022, according to new data from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

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Venues like Musikfest helped push ArtsQuest’s contribution to the regional economy to $132.7 million in 2023, based on Americans for the Arts funding formulas. And those summer nights shows are part of Pennsylvania’s outdoor recreation industry that contributed nearly $19 billion to the state’s economy in 2023, up 10% from 2022.

The Keystone State boasts the eighth-largest outdoor recreation economy in the country.

The value of outdoor recreation added made up 2.3% of the gross domestic product for the United States in 2023, in current dollars, and 1.9% of Pennsylvania’s GDP. It generates employment totaling 168,322 jobs in Pennsylvania in 2023, or 2.7% of the statewide workforce, and compensation totaling $8.7 billion, for 1.7% of payroll. Across all 50 states and the District of Columbia, outdoor recreation employment increased in 49 states and the District of Columbia in 2023, topped by 7.5% growth in Alaska; only Indiana saw a drop in outdoor recreation employment, of 4.8%, the federal Bureau of Economic Analysis says.

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The Bureau of Economic Analysis, part of the U.S. Department of Commerce, puts out its outdoor recreation economy report each fall. Nationally, the outdoor economy is outpacing other economic growth, the statistics show: Adjusted for inflation, the GDP for the outdoor recreation economy increased 3.6% in 2023, compared with a 2.9% increase for the overall U.S. economy.

What goes into the outdoor recreation economy?

It encompasses core outdoor recreation activities like bicycling; boating and recreation; climbing, hiking and tent camping; equestrian; hunting, shooting and trapping; motorcycling and ATVing; recreational flying; RVing; skiing, snowboarding and other snow activities (including snowmobiling); and apparel and accessories. Also included are outdoor recreation industries like amusement parks and water parks; festivals, sporting events and concerts; field sports; game areas (includes golfing and tennis); guided tours and travel; and productive activities such as gardening, plus support for outdoor recreation under headings that include construction; local trips and travel; food and beverages; lodging; shopping and souvenirs; transportation and government spending.

In the Lehigh Valley, outdoor recreation helps to drive the regional, state and national economy 12 months a year.

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“Tickets make great gifts,” ArtsQuest’s Brogan said, with the Musikfest 2025 headliners announced before Christmas 2024 that also include Riley Green, The Avett Brothers, Darius Rucker, Nelly and Jordan Davis.

Patrick Brogan, chief programming officer for Bethlehem-based ArtsQuest, says planning shows and booking acts for summer concerts like those at Musikfest is a year-round activity.Courtesy ArtsQuest

Regionally, it contributes to a GDP that grew to a record $55.7 billion in 2023, led by manufacturing, according to a December report from the Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corp.

Blue Mountain Resort outside Palmerton, for example, employs around 1,200 people during its peak season in winter when it offers 40 ski trails, five terrain parks, 16 lifts and up to 46 tubing lanes on the north face of the Kittatinny Ridge boasting the highest vertical drop — 1,082 feet — of any Pennsylvania ski area. In the warmer months, Blue Mountain has diversified to offer camping, a bike park and adventure park, along with dining options like the Slopeside Pub & Grill that is open year-round and sports panoramic views of the Pocono Mountains.

Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom in South Whitehall Township is part of an amusement and water parks industry worth $515 million in Pennsylvania and over $19 billion nationally. It’s closed to the public for the winter, but not dormant. Management in December announced winter maintenance season was in full swing, with ride inspections for Dorney Park signature attractions like Iron Menace, Steel Force and more; facility upgrades that include refreshing guest services, dining areas, pathways and restrooms; and other enhancements, such as the removal of two aging slide structures and the reimagining of several guest areas at Wildwater Kingdom.

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Pennsylvania’s outdoor recreation economy

Musik Express at Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom in South Whitehall Township is stripped for inspections and cleaning during fall 2024 as part of off-season maintenance.Courtesy Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom

The growth in Pennsylvania’s outdoor recreation economy comes as the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources is launching its Elevate campaign. Announced during an event in October in Easton, the idea is to work with the businesses that make up Pennsylvania’s outdoor recreation industry to help them grow even more.

“My administration is committed to supporting and growing the outdoor recreation industry, which strengthens local economies, creates jobs, and enhances the quality of life for Pennsylvanians and visitors alike,” Gov. Josh Shapiro said in a news release on the federal economic data released in November. “By investing in outdoor recreation, we’re not just creating economic opportunity but also celebrating the natural beauty that makes Pennsylvania so unique. We will continue working to make the Commonwealth a national leader, where millions of visitors and residents can go to spend time outside with the people they love.”

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Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com.



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