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Butler County first responders will march at the head of Trump’s inaugural parade

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Butler County first responders will march at the head of Trump’s inaugural parade

By Peter Hall
Butler County first responders will march at the head of Trump’s inaugural parade
Description
A firefighter's turnout gear marks the spot where Corey Comperatore was killed on July 13 during an attempted assassination on Republican presidential nominee, former President Donald Trump during campaign rally at the Butler Farm Show grounds on October 05, 2024 in Butler, Pennsylvania. This was the first time that Trump had returned to Butler since he was injured and Comperatore was killed in the attempted assassination on July 13, 2024. (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

Butler County emergency services personnel who responded after the attempted assassination of President-elect Donald Trump will march in his Inauguration Day parade later this month.

Nearly 7,500 people from 23 states including representatives of each branch of the armed forces will participate in the parade following Trump and Vice President-elect J.D. Vance’s swearing in on Jan. 20, the Trump Vance Inauguration Committee announced.

The Butler County first responders will be at the front of the parade following a contingent of U.S. Army soldiers, according to the committee.

Trump suffered a minor injury when a gunman identified as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks fired several shots toward the stage where Trump was speaking at a rally at the Butler Farm Show Ground on July 13.

Corey Comperatore, 50, of Sarver, a former Buffalo Township fire chief who was at the rally with his family, was killed in the shooting and two others were injured. Crooks was killed by a police sniper.

Butler County first responders will march at the head of Trump’s inaugural parade
Helen Comperatore (R), the widow of firefighter Corey Comperatore who was shot and killed at Trump’s rally in July, wipes away a tear as she and her daughters attend a campaign rally for Republican presidential nominee, former President Donald Trump at the Butler Farm Show fairgrounds on October 05, 2024 in Butler, Pennsylvania. This is the first time that Trump has returned to Butler since he was injured and Comperatore was killed during an attempted assassination on July 13. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Butler County first responders said in a statement released Monday by the inaugural committee that they did what they were trained to do everyday when they came to the aid of those injured in the shooting.

“We are forever changed by the devastating loss of our fellow first responder Corey Comperatore.  We hope all Americans will pause today to remember the bravery and sacrifice of their own first responders and police, the expertise of their 911 dispatchers, and the skill of their local hospital emergency and medical staff and emergency management agencies,” Butler County first responders said in the statement.

“We are honored to be here to represent them all, and immensely proud to salute our fellow life-savers nationwide by marching together in the Inaugural Parade today.” 

Also set to appear in the parade from Pennsylvania is the Sherwood Groves Farm Belgian 6-horse hitch team from Tunkhannock, Wyoming County. The team received an award in 2024 from the Belgian Draft Horse Corp. of America, which supports breeders of draft horses for traditional farm and logging power, competition and pulling carriages in the tourism industry.