Play video, “‘I see it every time I close my eyes’, says widow of man killed at Trump rally”, 방송 길이 0,5000:50Video description: Helen, wife of Corey Comperatore, who was killed by Trump gunman, confesses ‘I can’t get the incident out of my mind’Article related information
- Reporter, Gary O’Donoghue
- Journalist, BBC North America correspondent
-
6 hours ago
The wife of a former volunteer firefighter who died in the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania, in July told the BBC she was furious about security failures that allowed the gunman on the rooftop to open fire.
Corey Comperatore Thomas Crooks, 20, was shot and killed after jumping in to protect his family while gunfire was fired at Trump.
His wife, Helen, says the events of that day have never left her mind.
“I think of that scene every time I close my eyes, and probably will for a long time.”
Helen added: “I’m angry because there were a lot of mistakes made that day and it didn’t need to happen.”
Helen Comperatore gave an exclusive interview to the BBC just days before Trump revisits the city of Butler and the shooting site.
The couple’s home, where the deceased Corey lived, is located in the Sarver area, about 30 kilometers from the Butler City campaign site, and close enough to the volunteer fire department where he worked for decades that he could easily hear the siren when it went off.
Trump plans to continue his campaign by visiting the same place where he was shot in the ear and shouted “Let’s fight” on the 5th local time. This scene has become a symbolic image of Trump’s election.
Cory Comperatore’s surviving family members, including Helen, are scheduled to attend this weekend’s rally at the invitation of Trump.
Corey Comperatore, 50, was killed in the July shooting, while David Dutch, 57, and James Copenhaver, 74, suffered ‘life-changing’ injuries.
An internal Secret Service review identified numerous security failures on the day of the incident, including poor planning and communication failures.
Corey, an avid Trump supporter, was looking forward to the July rally, his wife said.
“My husband liked the way Trump did things, that he wasn’t a politician, that he didn’t talk like one.”
Helen said people in places like Butler, a working-class neighborhood north of Pittsburgh, believe Trump understands their lives.
image copyrightHelen Comperatore
Photo captionCory and Helen were seen sitting on the stand between the gunman and Trump at the Butler rally
During the July 14 rally, the Comperatore family happened to be sitting in the stands between Trump and the shooter.
Corey was disappointed because he missed the entry time because he had taken the time to eat beforehand. At that time, a man approached and offered a seat in the stands.
About six minutes into Trump’s speech, Crooks fired eight shots from the roof just outside the perimeter of the rally, one of which hit Trump’s right ear and another that struck and killed Corey as he tried to protect his family.
image copyrightHelen Comperatore
Photo captionCory and Helen have two daughters.
In the months before her husband’s murder, the couple spent every weekend on a boat.
“I really enjoyed that time,” says Helen.
“We talked about everything. We made many future plans on that boat. “I knew a lot about Corey and what he would want if something happened to him.”
The couple had known each other their whole lives, going to school together since kindergarten.
Helen said that although her husband often appeared blunt and serious, he was actually a very kind and caring person.
“You can tell by my husband’s smile that he is a kind and good person,” Helen said.
“He did anything for the community. He loved children. “The children were everything to him.”
His two daughters, Allison and Kaylee, work as nurses and are struggling to return to work as they grieve the loss of their father, Helen said.
Helen now asks, “What did my husband want me to do? He says asking the question, “What would Corey do?” helps him stay on top of himself.
“It’s definitely difficult. I knew my husband always cared for me, but I didn’t know how much he cared for me. “I just want to see you.”
Play video, “Trump was attacked, why couldn’t the security team stop it?”, broadcast length 2,2002:20
At the Republican National Convention (RNC) in July, immediately after the shooting, Trump went on stage holding Corey’s helmet and jacket.
Helen said that when Corey was alive, he hoped Trump would invite him on stage at the convention and even joked about it.
The family watched the convention on TV after Trump spoke about plans for the tribute.
“I was moved to tears thinking that the moment had come for my husband to be on stage with Trump,” Helen said. “It was a good moment, but it was also a sad moment.”
