Thousands gather at banquet hall to celebrate life of former fire chief killed at Trump rally

Associated Press

FREEPORT, Pa. (AP) — Thousands of mourners filed into a Pennsylvania banquet hall Thursday to remember the former fire chief who was fatally shot during the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump, who sent a note of condolence hailing him as a hero.

The crowd paying their respects to Corey Comperatore and his family appeared to be a mix of friends, neighbors and strangers who wanted to show their appreciation for the man who officials said spent his final moments shielding his wife and daughter from gunfire at the campaign rally.

Fire trucks and police vehicles filled the parking lot outside the building. Sharpshooters were positioned on top of the event hall and on nearby buildings as dozens of people waited in line to enter. Among the mourners were firefighters in dress uniforms.

Comperatore, 50, worked as a project and tooling engineer, was an Army reservist and spent many years as a volunteer firefighter after serving as chief, according to his obituary.

Trump suffered an ear injury but was not seriously hurt and has been participating this week in the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee.

Mourners filled Laube Hall, a space with white brick walls, white linens, white curtains and exposed wooden beams that’s normally used for weddings and other celebratory occasions.

Guests walked past a large, framed photo of Comperatore holding a fish, while a slideshow of photos from his life was projected on a screen — his wedding, a recent 50th birthday party, time with his daughters, firefighting, fishing on a lake and palling around with his beloved Dobermans.

The gathering included firefighters from other nearby communities and people involved in local and state Republican politics.

Rich Tallis, a Penn Hills volunteer firefighter who attended the visitation, did not know Comperatore personally but felt a need to honor his memory.

“Any first responder, it’s a brotherhood – police, EMS fire, military. We’re technically all one,” he said. “When one goes, we all go.”

Tables inside the hall were lined with flowers — some sent by fire departments in New York and West Virginia, an auto racing circuit and the mayor of a nearby community. Others came from people in faraway places such as Connecticut and Florida who knew of Comperatore only because of his death.

The messages on the cards accompanying the arrangements praised his selflessness and dedication to his family. One said his name would be “written in the history books.”

Mourners took turns pausing in front of Comperatore’s open casket, which was adorned with flower arrangements and ribbons with words such as “dad” and “husband.”

In a corner was a framed copy of a note to Comperatore’s wife signed by Trump and former first lady Melania Trump. “Corey will forever be remembered as a True American Hero,” they wrote.

Retired New York City Fire Department Lt. Joe Torrillo said outside the visitation that he came because Comperatore was a firefighter who lost his life the same way he lived his life — like a hero.

“And, you know, a lot of people maybe wouldn’t or couldn’t have done what he did,” Torrillo said.

Jon Ruffley, who lives outside Pittsburgh and attended part of the Trump rally Saturday, went to the visitation with his wife and young child. He said he hoped his presence sent a supportive message to the family that “we stick together as Americans regardless of, you know, what someone’s political affiliations are.”

“I think it’s really important that we raise our kids in a way where we can see that political violence is unacceptable, that we stand for having important discourses about things in, in our society,” he said.

A box truck parked on a route to the banquet hall displayed video screens showing slides, including a photograph of Trump raising his fist after Saturday’s shooting. It had the slogan “never surrender” and a message expressing prayers for Trump and Comperatore.

The visitation, which was broken into a pair of two-hour blocks, was the second of two public events memorializing and celebrating Comperatore’s life. Hundreds of people gathered Wednesday at a vigil for him at an auto racing track.

A private funeral is scheduled for Friday. Trump is not going to the funeral because of Secret Service concerns, according to a source familiar who was not authorized to speak publicly.

A statement issued Thursday by Comperatore’s family described him as a “beloved father and husband, and a friend to so many throughout the Butler region.”

“Our family is finding comfort and peace through the heartfelt messages of encouragement from people around the world, through the support of our church and community, and most of all through the strength of God,” the statement said.

Dan Ritter, who gave a eulogy at Wednesday’s vigil, said he bought Comperatore’s childhood home in 1993, sparking a friendship that grew with their shared values of family, Christian faith and politics.

“Corey loved his family and was always spending time with them,” Ritter said. “This past Saturday was supposed to be one of those days for him. He did what a good father would do. He protected those he loved. He’s a true hero for us all.”

Comperatore’s pastor, Jonathan Fehl of Cabot Methodist Church in Cabot, said the family “has been humbled by the way this community has rallied around them” and by the support they have received from people around the world.

The vigil concluded with people in the crowd lighting candles and raising cellphones, glow sticks and lighters as Comperatore’s favorite song — “I Can Only Imagine,” by Christian rock band MercyMe — played.

Two other people were wounded at the rally: David Dutch, 57, of New Kensington, and James Copenhaver, 74, of Moon Township. As of Wednesday night, both had been upgraded to serious but stable condition, according to a spokesperson with Allegheny Health Network.

Joseph Feldman, an attorney for Copenhaver, said Wednesday that he had spoken with his client by phone.

“He seems to be in good spirits, but he also understands the gravity of the situation,” Feldman said. “And he’s deeply saddened about what has occurred, and he’s deeply sympathetic” to the other victims and their families.

Feldman said Copenhaver suffered “life-altering injuries,” declining to go into detail. He said Copenhaver’s priority is to “keep up with the medical treatment he’s receiving and hopefully be released at some point.”

In a statement, Dutch’s family thanked the “greater western Pennsylvania community and countless others across the country and world” for the incredible outpouring of prayers and well wishes.

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Associated Press reporters Heather Hollingsworth in Mission, Kansas; Lisa Baumann in Bellingham, Washington; Michelle Price in Milwaukee; and Michael Rubinkam in northeastern Pennsylvania contributed to this report.