A procession of firefighters and police vehicles accompanied the coffin at the funeral of Corey Comperatore, a supporter of former President Trump who was killed at a rally in Pennsylvania, on Thursday.
Comperatore, 50, a Salvador resident and volunteer firefighter, died Saturday while trying to protect his family from gunfire aimed at the former president at a rally in Butler.
Uniformed military personnel were seen guarding the perimeter of Freeport’s Laube Hall on Thursday morning, inspecting the building’s roof and surroundings ahead of a vigil for Comperatore.
Fundraiser for Cory Comperatore in Trump shooting raises more than $1 million for slain firefighter’s family
Former Buffalo Township Fire Chief Corey Comperatore is pictured with his daughters in an undated family photo. (Helen Comperatore/Facebook)
Hundreds of people gathered Wednesday to remember the former fire chief and were urged to “stand in solidarity” as rural Pennsylvania recovers from a shocking assassination attempt. ABC7 reported..
Preparations are underway for a memorial for Corey Comperatore at Laube Hall in Freeport, Pennsylvania, on July 18, 2024. Comperatore, 50, was shot and killed on Saturday by a would-be assassin who tried to kill President Trump. (Derek Shook for Fox News Digital)
On July 18, 2024, a Butler Township Fire Department truck escorted a black van carrying Corey Comperatore’s body to Laube Hall in Freeport, Pennsylvania. (Derek Shook for Fox News Digital)
Thursday’s open days were due to take place from 2pm to 4pm and then 6pm to 8pm, but roads had been closed prior to them for a major fire engine procession.
Victim at Trump rally identified as Corey Comperatore, ‘hero’ who shielded his wife and daughters from bullets
On July 18, 2024, a Butler Township Fire Department truck escorted a black van carrying Corey Comperatore’s body to Laube Hall in Freeport, Pennsylvania. (Derek Shook for Fox News Digital)
Preparations are underway for a memorial for Corey Comperatore at Laube Hall in Freeport, Pennsylvania, on July 18, 2024. Comperatore, 50, was shot and killed on Saturday by a would-be assassin who tried to kill President Trump. (Derek Shook for Fox News Digital)
According to his obituary, Comperatore attended High School in Freeport and then served in the Army Reserves for 10 years. He was an active member of Cabot Church and a lifetime member of the Buffalo Fire Department, leading the group as captain in the early 2000s.
Corey Comperatore (Allison Comperatore/Facebook)
On July 18, 2024, a Butler Township Fire Department truck escorted a black van carrying Corey Comperatore’s body to Laube Hall in Freeport, Pennsylvania. (Derek Shook for Fox News Digital)
He is survived by his daughters, Kaylee and Allison, his wife, Helen, his mother and two sisters. Helen Comperatore said they were approaching their 29th wedding anniversary. New York Post.
“He’s my hero,” Helen Comperatore told the paper from her home. “He just said, ‘Get down!’ Those were the last words.”
“He was a simple man, but he always put his wife and kids first. I didn’t do anything here. I didn’t lift a finger. He did it all,” she told The Washington Post after the shooting, which left Trump and two other rally attendees seriously wounded.
Final words of ‘hero’ firefighter killed in Trump rally shooting revealed
Corey Comperatore was a rally attendee who was killed in the attempted assassination of former President Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania on Saturday. (Facebook)
Preparations are underway at Laube Hall for a memorial service for Corey Comperatore to be held on July 18, 2024 in Freeport, Pennsylvania. (Derek Shook for Fox News Digital)
“His courage was not of the loud, boisterous kind; it was a quiet resilience, the strength to embrace vulnerability, and the bravery to lead with love,” the obituary reads. “Cory’s legacy lies not only in the major milestones he achieved, but also in the small acts of kindness that defined his daily life. He was quick to help those in need, never expecting anything in return, and the impact he made on the lives of those he touched is immeasurable.”
In a statement to media on Thursday, the Comperatore family called Corey a “loving father and husband” and a “friend to many in the Butler area.”
“He was a local leader, a military veteran, a former fire chief and a committed Christian who found peace and joy through our church. He loved and cared for our family,” the statement read.
State police anti-sniper patrol the area around Laube Hall for a memorial for Corey Comperatore on July 18, 2024, in Freeport, Pennsylvania. (Derek Shook for Fox News Digital)
“Our family has found comfort and peace in the heartfelt messages of encouragement from people around the world, the support of our church and community, and above all, the power of God. We are grateful to the countless people who have prayed for us over the past week. Your kindness is deeply appreciated,” the statement continued. “We ask for your continued prayers and privacy as we mourn and adjust to the reality of Corey’s unimaginable loss.”
President Biden said Sunday that he and First Lady Jill Biden “extend our deepest condolences to the family of the murdered victim.”
“He was a father. He lost his life trying to protect his family from bullets. God love him,” Biden said.
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A funeral procession is scheduled for Friday.
Fox News’ Michael Dorgan and Chris Pandolfo contributed to this report.
