Two men shot at Trump’s Butler rally sue federal government over Secret Service ‘preventable failures’ Two men wounded in the assassination attempt on Donald Trump at a Pennsylvania rally are suing the U.S. government, alleging gross negligence by the Secret Service and Department of Homeland Security. The lawsuits detail numerous security failures, including failure to secure a critical rooftop vantage point and inadequate communication, which plaintiffs claim directly led to the shooting. Both suits seek $150,000 in damages, attorney fees, and interest.

• Two men, James Copenhaver and David Dutch, who were shot at a Donald Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, have filed lawsuits against the U.S. government.
• The lawsuits allege gross negligence and “preventable failures” by the U.S. Secret Service (USSS) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
• Specific failures cited include not securing the rooftop used by the shooter, Thomas Crooks, and inadequate communication methods.
• Plaintiffs claim the USSS’s conduct constituted a “cascade of preventable failures” that allowed the assassination attempt to occur.
• Both men sustained gunshot wounds, with Copenhaver hit by two bullets and Dutch by one, both requiring medical treatment and surgery.
• The lawsuits state that congressional investigations also reviewed USSS failures, concluding they directly led to the shooting.
• The Secret Service has reportedly acknowledged failures including “breakdowns in communication, technological issues, and human failure.”
• Each lawsuit seeks $150,000 in damages, plus interest and attorney fees.