A crowd member killed on Saturday evening at former President Donald Trump’s Pennsylvania rally is reported to be 50-year-old Corey Comperatore, according to family members on Facebook.
While attending Trump’s rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, Comperatore was fatally shot by 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, saving his two daughters in the process by diving onto them to shield the two from gunfire. Comperatore’s sister, wife and daughters posted tributes to the former volunteer fire chief of Buffalo Township on social media.
“The PA Trump Rally claimed the life of my brother, Corey Comperatore. The hatred for one man took the life of the one man we loved the most,” Dawn Comperatore Schafer, Corey Comperatore’s sister, wrote on Facebook.
“He was a hero that shielded his daughters. His wife and girls just lived through the unthinkable and unimaginable,” she continued. “My baby brother just turned 50 and had so much life left to experience. Hatred has no limits and love has no bounds. Pray for my sister-in-law, nieces, my mother, sister, me and his nieces and nephews as this feels like a terrible nightmare but we know it is our painful reality.”
Dawn Comperatore Schafer Facebook Post of Corey’s death. (Screenshot/Facebook)
Helena facebook post (Screenshot/Facebook)
Kaylee Comperatore Fabeook Post Of Father (Screenshot/Facebook)
Allyson Comperatore Facebook Post of Father (Screenshot/Facebook)
Democratic Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro held a press conference Sunday afternoon confirming Comperatore’s identity and stating he has spoken with the former fire chief’s family.
“Corey was a girl dad. Corey loved his community. 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,” Shapiro said. “She [Corey’s wife] also asked that I share with all of you that Corey died a hero. That Corey dove on his family to protect them last night at this rally.”
Shapiro continued to condemn the violence that broke out stating how there can be political disagreements, but “we need to use a peaceful political process to settle those differences.”
“This is a moment where all leaders have a responsibility to speak and act with moral clarity. Where all leaders need to take down the temperature and rise above the hateful rhetoric that exists in search for a better, brighter future for this nation.”
WATCH:
Gunshots broke out at the rally shortly after Trump began to speak around 6 p.m. local time. Video footage captured the loud pop ringing through the crowd before Trump could be seen lifting his hand to his right ear before Secret Service members flooded the stage.
Members within the crowd could be heard screaming right before guards prepared to take the former president off the stage, with some yelling out “shots” were fired. Shortly after the incident, an emergency doctor who was in the crowd at the time, told CBS News that he had rushed to help the victim suffering.
“The guy had spun around, was jammed between the benches, he had a head shot … there was lots of blood and he had brain matter there,” the doctor said, adding that he did chest compressions and performed CPR.
In addition to Comperatore, two other crowd members were critically injured, however, it is unclear what they’re conditions are.
