Campaign

Widow of man killed at rally says she has spoken to Trump

by Lauren Irwin - 07/16/24 9:52 PM ET

The widow of the man who was killed at former President Trump’s rally on Saturday said she has spoken to the former president.

Helen Comperatore, who lost her husband, Corey Comperatore, shared in a post on social media that she exchanged words with Trump after the assassination attempt.

“He was very kind and said he would continue to call me in the days and weeks ahead,” she wrote, The New York Times reported.

Comperatore said the former president said her 50-year-old husband “left this world a hero, and God welcomed him in.”

Comperatore’s sister, Kelly Comperatore Meeder, said the family had spoken to other Trump campaign officials Monday evening, and they had declined an invitation to speak with President Biden.

Comperatore told the New York Post that she didn’t want to talk to Biden because her husband was a devout Republican and wouldn’t have wanted that.

Corey Comperatore was a volunteer firefighter and father of two. His wife said he shouted “Get down” when the shots rang out at the Butler, Pa. rally on Saturday and he used his body to shield his family from bullets.

Comperatore said she had no “ill will towards Joe Biden” because “he didn’t do anything bad to my husband. A 20-year-old despicable kid did.”

The shooting suspect has been identified as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks of Bethel Park, Pa. He allegedly climbed a building adjacent to where Trump was giving a speech and fired off shots. He was killed by Secret Service.

A bullet grazed the former president’s ear. Two other attendees were critically injured, the Secret Service said.

Biden and members of Congress have called for investigations into the security protocols for the Secret Service, their apparent failure, and what led to the man being able to gain access to the roof and begin shooting.

More than $5 million has been raised for the victims of the shooting as of Tuesday evening, according to a GoFundMe. Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.), one of the wealthiest members of the Senate, joined others in donating to the fund.