Slain Fire Chief Honored With Memorials, Chants at Trump’s Butler Rally

Former volunteer fire chief Corey Comperatore, who was killed at Donald Trump‘s campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13 was honored at the former president’s second rally in the town on Saturday with memorials, artwork, prayersand the crowd chanting his name.

More than two-and-a-half-months ago, Thomas Matthew Crooks fired eight rounds at Trump in an assassination attempt, grazing the former president’s right ear, killing Comperatore, and injuring two other attendees.

Trump’s plane just flew over the Butler Farm Show—the same venue where he was last seen being escorted by U.S. Secret Service agents, blood dripping down his face—to complete a campaign rally that was cut short by the July 13 shooting.

Ahead of the rally, Trump said he would honor Comperatore’s memory, recognize the injured attendees, and thank law enforcement during his second Butler visit.

At the Saturday rally, Comperatore’s Buffalo Township fire jacket and helmet are displayed in the top left corner of the stands, surrounded by an arrangement of roses and gladioluses.

Newsweek reporter Monica Sager, on the ground at the Butler rally, identified several other posters and flower memorials at the venue. At one point, artist Scott LoBaido unveiled a painting of Comperatore on stage, with the crowd chanting “Corey, Corey, Corey.”

Chants of the fallen firefighter’s name have echoed throughout the crowd several times during the pre-rally.

Sager spoke with rally attendee Michele Critchlow, who said, “My heart goes out to that [Comperatore’s] family. Corey was a true patriot. I pass the firehall all the time. You can see his uniform set up. One day I noticed the uniform was gone and there was a statue.”

She told Newsweek that Comperatore’s wife, Helen, came to Critchlow’s house every Sunday for work.

“There is nothing that anybody can do or say to bring back our loss,” Critchlow said.

Helen and Comperatore’s daughters, Allyson and Kaylee, and his sisters Kelly Meeder and Dawn Comperatore-Schaffer, are all said to be in attendance at today’s rally.

Helen previously told the New York Post that Corey had shouted for people to “get down” after the shots were fired and used his body to shield his family from the bullets.

Several times during the pre-rally, as speakers took the podium, the crowd paused for a moment of silence to honor Comperatore’s life and memory. There are several more speeches and memorials expected ahead of Trump’s 5 p.m. ET appearance at the rally.

Newsweek’s on-the-ground reporter noted that Christianity was a recurring theme in conversations with attendees about Comperatore. Several attendees are also wearing shirts that reference God and Jesus.

Newsweek spoke with Dan Beazley, who carried a cross nearly twice his size while waiting in line at the rally site. Beazley said it was the same cross he brought to town for a vigil held three days after Comperatore’s death.

“I typically don’t take the cross to political rallies, because I don’t want there to be any misrepresented message for whoever is running for office, but this is different,” he said. “I had to bring the cross to spread a message of hope and love to all of the people that are here today.”

He has brought the large cross to other shooting sites, including in March 2023 to Tennessee following a school shooting.

“It’s pretty obvious that back in July, we all know, least us who believe, who saved Trump on that day, right,” Beazley said, alluding to divine intervention.

This is a developing story and will be updated with more on the ground reporting.

Update 10/5/24, 4:23 p.m. ET: This article has been updated to include comment from Beazley.