KRISTEN THANK YOU. AND THE CHAOS FROM THAT DAY STILL RESONATES WITH THOSE WHO RESPONDED TO THE SHOOTING, INCLUDING THE DIRECTOR OF EMERGENCY SERVICES FOR BUTLER COUNTY. AND HE IS REFLECTING ON THAT FATEFUL DAY WITH PITTSBURGH’S ACTION NEWS FOUR REPORTER CARLOS FLORES. SUNDAY WILL MARK ONE YEAR SINCE THE ATTEMPTED ASSASSINATION OF PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP HERE IN BUTLER COUNTY. IT’S ONE OF THE BUSIEST DAYS THAT PLACES LIKE THE BUTLER COUNTY 911 CENTER HAS EVER SEEN. THERE ARE TIMES WHEN IT FEELS LIKE IT WAS LONGER. BUT BUT, YOU KNOW, IN MEMORY IT WAS YESTERDAY. STEVE BISWAS WITH BUTLER COUNTY EMERGENCY SERVICES WAS ONE OF THE MANY OFFICIALS ON SITE AT THE BUTLER FARM SHOW GROUNDS WHEN 20 YEAR OLD THOMAS CROOKS OPENED FIRE, INJURING PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP. 57 YEAR-OLD DAVID DUTCH, 74 YEAR OLD JAMES COPENHAVER AND KILLING 50 YEAR OLD COREY, COMPARATOR. OFFICIALS WITH BUTLER COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT SAY THEY HELPED MORE THAN 200 PEOPLE THAT DAY. MOST WERE RELATED TO HOW HOT IT WAS THAT DAY IN JULY. BISWAS SAYS THE MOMENT THE SHOTS RANG OUT, THERE WAS NO HESITATION FROM FIRST RESPONDERS, FROM THE PEOPLE IN THE 911 DISPATCH CENTER TO FIRST RESPONDERS THERE ON SITE. HE SAYS THE FOCUS WAS HELPING PEOPLE IN NEED. ROBERT MCCLAFFERTY, WITH BUTLER COUNTY 911, SAYS THERE IS ONE MEMORY THAT HE REMEMBERS VIVIDLY. OUR COUNTER ASSAULT TEAM WENT RIGHT TO OUR COUNTER ASSAULT FORCE, WENT RIGHT TOWARDS THEM, OR ESU RUNNING TOWARDS THE DANGER, STARTING TO MITIGATE THAT DANGER AND TO SEE THAT REALLY STICKS WITH ME. COMING UP ON PITTSBURGH’S ACTION NEWS FOUR AT FIVE, WE’LL HEAR FROM MORE FIRST RESPONDERS ABOUT WHAT THEY REMEMBER ABOUT THAT DAY ONE YEAR LATER. COVERING BUTLE
Emergency management officials reflect on Butler, PA, Trump assassination attempt one year later
'I came in for what I thought was going to be a quick 8-hour shift and, about 18 hours later, we all went home'
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Updated: 1:47 PM CDT Jul 12, 2025
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Sunday will mark one year since the attempted assassination of President Donald Trump in Butler County. It's a day, folks at the 911 operating center in Butler County said, they remember like it was yesterday. "I came in for what I thought was going to be a quick eight-hour shift and, about 18 hours later, we all went home," said an assurance coordinator for Butler County Emergency Services, Chris Beck."We oftentimes use the Army's motto of train like you're going to fight and then fight like you're trained. And even though you're not expecting an event to occur like this, our folks were ready," said a 911 coordinator for Butler County, Robert McLafferty. Beck said they watched the aftermath of the shots being fired from the 911 center, and within seconds, they started receiving calls. Beck added that they received fewer than 29 calls related to the shooting itself.Officials with Butler County Emergency Management said they helped more than 200 people that day. Most were related to how hot it was that day in July.Director of Emergency Services, Steve Bicehouse, McLafferty, and Beck all played different roles that day.Bicehouse and McLafferty were on site when the shots were fired. "In reality, with shots fired, they should have been taking cover. And they were told to take cover. But it's in their nature. It's in all of our nature. It's first responders to go help people. And that's exactly what they did. So they just pivoted and started taking care of the shooting victims," Bicehouse said.Beck was inside the 911 center and said one moment in particular stood out to him."But, it was the spouse of one of the injured victims. And, just hearing that particular call after the fact, it was chilling," Beck said.When asked if they would change anything about their response that day, they said they would change nothing. "There's always an aftereffect for everything that we do. A piece of us is with each one of these people. So that day, you know, you know, you reflect, you sit for a few minutes, reflect, but then you start worrying about getting stuff cleaned up. I mean, we still had a mission. We still had things to do," Bicehouse said. "But that day we got to see our first responders at their best, and we certainly got to see some of the community at their best, and to see the level of appreciation that our folks are getting and people recognize and thanking them for what they do. That really sticks with me, because I don't think our folks get to see that enough," McLafferty said.
Sunday will mark one year since the in Butler County. It's a day, folks at the 911 operating center in Butler County said, they remember like it was yesterday.
"I came in for what I thought was going to be a quick eight-hour shift and, about 18 hours later, we all went home," said an assurance coordinator for Butler County Emergency Services, Chris Beck.
"We oftentimes use the Army's motto of train like you're going to fight and then fight like you're trained. And even though you're not expecting an event to occur like this, our folks were ready," said a 911 coordinator for Butler County, Robert McLafferty.
Beck said they watched the aftermath of the shots being fired from the 911 center, and within seconds, they started receiving calls. Beck added that they received fewer than 29 calls related to the shooting itself.
Officials with Butler County Emergency Management said they helped more than 200 people that day. Most were related to how hot it was that day in July.
Director of Emergency Services, Steve Bicehouse, McLafferty, and Beck all played different roles that day.
Bicehouse and McLafferty were on site when the shots were fired.
"In reality, with shots fired, they should have been taking cover. And they were told to take cover. But it's in their nature. It's in all of our nature. It's first responders to go help people. And that's exactly what they did. So they just pivoted and started taking care of the shooting victims," Bicehouse said.
Beck was inside the 911 center and said one moment in particular stood out to him.
"But, it was the spouse of one of the injured victims. And, just hearing that particular call after the fact, it was chilling," Beck said.
When asked if they would change anything about their response that day, they said they would change nothing.
"There's always an aftereffect for everything that we do. A piece of us is with each one of these people. So that day, you know, you know, you reflect, you sit for a few minutes, reflect, but then you start worrying about getting stuff cleaned up. I mean, we still had a mission. We still had things to do," Bicehouse said.
"But that day we got to see our first responders at their best, and we certainly got to see some of the community at their best, and to see the level of appreciation that our folks are getting and people recognize and thanking them for what they do. That really sticks with me, because I don't think our folks get to see that enough," McLafferty said.
