Two men critically wounded during former President Donald Trump's July campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, told NBC News the U.S. Secret Service was negligent in its security duties.
Trump was grazed in the ear by a would-be assassin's bullet and a spectator was killed at the rally on July 13.
Jim Copenhaver, 74 and David Dutch, 57, who were shot by the sniper, told NBC News that the Secret Service and law enforcement officials were negligent in protecting Trump and innocent civilians.
"I believe there was 100% negligence on the Secret Service, probably everybody involved in setting that security, down to inter-department communications," said Dutch, who was shot in the liver. "The negligence was vast. It was terrible."
"I'm sure there was negligence. It wouldn't have happened, had it been secure," said Copenhaver, who was shot in the arm and abdomen.
Asked if the Secret Service failed him and the former president, Dutch replied: "Big time."
"The whole security setup was poor," he added.
Copenhaver and Dutch plan to sue over the security failures, according to their attorneys.
A bipartisan Senate report last month said multiple Secret Service failures before the rally were "foreseeable, preventable, and directly related to the events resulting in the assassination attempt that day."
A House task force is investigating the attempted assassination at Butler. During the task force's first hearing on Sept. 27, officials said a lack of preparation and communication from the Secret Service before the rally contributed to the security failures.
Dutch told NBC News he was "angry" at the security failures and the fact that someone "tried to shoot the president, shot into a defenseless crowd."
"I was just angry that the whole situation even happened," he told NBC News. "It should have never happened."
Dutch and Copenhaver each are dealing with lingering effects from the shooting.
Copenhaver said must walk with a cane and he still gets occasional pain in his abdomen. He also has lost 30 pounds.
Dutch said he has lost 25 pounds and can't drive or lift more than 10 pounds.
"It's a struggle every day," Dutch told NBC News.
Corey Comperatore, 50, was killed in the shooting while shielding his family.
Charlie McCarthy ✉
Charlie McCarthy, a writer/editor at Newsmax, has nearly 40 years of experience covering news, sports, and politics.
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