The man who lost his life on Saturday when he was struck by a sniper's bullet at a campaign rally for Donald Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania, has been identified.
Corey Comperatore, 50, a firefighter, had been a volunteer fire chief in Pennsylvania, according to WPXI. The details of how he died are truly heartbreaking. Comperatore was truly a selfless hero until his very last moment.
"The hatred for one man took the life of the one man we loved the most. He was a hero that shielded his daughters," Dawn Comperatore Schaefer, Comperatore's sister, explained on Facebook. Governor Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania also spoke on Sunday morning with Comperatore's grieving family, including his widow and two daughters.
"Corey was a girl dad — Corey was a firefighter. Corey went to church every Sunday. Cory loved his community. Most especially, Cory loved his family," Shapiro said. He added, "Corey was an avid supporter of the former president and was so excited to be there last night with him in the community."
Shapiro requested and got permission from his wife, Helen Comperator,e to publicly mention that they had spoken. He said she wanted people to be aware that her husband "died a hero."
The governor has also directed that flags in Pennsylvania be flown at half-staff in honor of Comperatore. Comperatore's daughter, Allyson, said that her dad courageously flung her and her mom, Helen, down on the ground and tried to protect them as a sudden burst of gunfire erupted and stunned the crowd at the late afternoon event.
They survived the brutal violence. He did not.
Firefighter Died A Hero At Donald Trump Rally
Helen Comperatore mournfully referred to the day as "a nightmare."
"He died the hero he always was," she remarked on Facebook.
A GoFundMe page established for Allyson Comperatore brought in more than $300,000 by midday Sunday. Her grief for her dad is boundless, just like his valor was. Allyson wrote that she will be "mourning over him until the day that I die, too."
Donald Trump sustained a wound to his right ear and is doing well. Two other rally-goers whose names have not been released were also seriously injured by the hail of bullets.
The gunman has also been identified as Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania. He was killed by Secret Service personnel.
The investigation of this crime by law enforcement is ongoing.
