Two men who were shot during the first assassination attempt on President-elect Donald Trump will reportedly attend his upcoming inauguration.
In a statement through their attorney, Joseph Feldman, 57-year-old David Dutch and 74-year-old James Copenhaver said they are “very appreciative of President Trump and his team for inviting them to attend the Inauguration weekend,” Fox News reported Friday.
“They are honored to take part in the festivities alongside the incoming administration and other guests. President Trump has treated both of our clients as though they are family,” the statement continued. Feldman also said Trump and his team have expressed great interest in the recovery of the two men following the July 13 shooting in Butler, Pennsylvania.
Dutch, a U.S. Marine veteran, and Copenhaver, a retired liquor store manager, were critically wounded when Thomas Matthew Crooks opened fire from a rooftop nearby as Trump gave a speech during his campaign rally. Trump’s ear was nicked by a bullet, leaving his face bloodied.
WATCH — Trump Butler Shooting Witness Details Her Experience: I Stood There “Frozen”:
Sharpshooters eventually shot and killed Crooks, the Associated Press (AP) reported October 15, citing an interview the two victims did with NBC News.
The AP article continued:
“It was like getting hit with a sledgehammer right in the chest,” said Dutch, who served in both Desert Shield and Desert Storm in his time with the Marines from 1986 to 1992. He said he could see chunks of the bleacher and metal “flying all around” until the shooting stopped.
Dutch said Monday he was still “angry that the whole situation even happened. It should have never happened.” NBC News reported the two men’s attorneys said they were looking into possible litigation over what they view as negligence by the Secret Service.
“It wouldn’t have happened, had it been secure,” Copenhaver said.
Firefighter Corey Comperatore was killed by Trump’s would-be assassin during the July incident. The first responder, husband, and father was laid to rest a few days later.
His daughter said her father died a hero, stating, “They are not going to tell you how quickly he threw my mom and I to the ground. They are not going to tell you that he shielded my body from the bullet that came at us. He loved his family. He truly loved us enough to take a real bullet for us.”
Per the recent Fox article, Feldman said, “Our clients would like to remember that while they and President Trump will have the great honor of being together at the Inauguration, there is one individual who will not be joining them, and they wish to once again send their prayers and condolences to the Comperatore family.”
Trump is scheduled to hold a mass rally for supporters on January 19 in Washington, DC, the day before he will be inaugurated for the second time and become the 47th president of the United States, per Breitbart News.
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