FREEPORT, Pa. — The firefighter who was killed while shielding his family from a sniper’s bullets at former President Donald Trump’s campaign rally wasn’t even supposed to be sitting in the seat that put him in the line of fire, a grieving pal said.
Corey Comperatore, 50, moved to the front-row seat just moments before the presidential hopeful was slated to speak — and before a deranged gunman launched an attack that rocked the nation.
“So talk about a freak, freak accident. That he wasn’t even supposed to be sitting there and he ends up losing his life,” Scott Dockherty, CEO of manufacturing company CID Associates, where Comperatore’s brother worked, said Thursday.
Dockherty revealed the tragic twist outside Comperatore’s wake at Laube Hall in Freeport, where hundreds of mourners paid their respects.
“You realize that Corey and his family weren’t even supposed to sit in those seats,” Dockherty told reporters, citing a conversation he had with Comperatore’s brother, Steve.
The Comperatores were standing to the left of the stage just before Trump was slated to speak — until someone offered the family of four front-row tickets, a no-brainer for the Trump superfan.
“So Corey said, ‘Yes, I would love to do that,’” Dockherty said.
Trump had only been speaking for several minutes when Crooks opened fire, grazing the ex-president’s ear.
Comperatore was killed and two others were wounded — David Dutch, 57, and James Copenhaver, 54, who were critically injured but are expected to recover.
Trump, meanwhile, was grazed in the ear.
Secret Service agents quickly returned fire, killing Crooks just seconds after the chaos began.
Investigators are still combing through the attempted assassin’s devices for a motive.
“It’s heartbreaking. A man lost his life because of hatred in this country. It’s terrible … The world has to change and it needs to change fast. It’s sad,” Dockherty said.
“The hatred is terrible.”
Comperatore served as chief of the Buffalo Township Volunteer Fire Company for a couple years in the early 2000s before cutting back his role to focus on his family.
He remained an active firefighter and member of his community until his tragic death at the Butler Farm Show fairgrounds.
