DENVER (KDVR) — Colorado Gov. Jared Polis ordered flags to be flown at half-staff on Tuesday in honor of Pennsylvania volunteer firefighter and former chief Corey Comperatore.
Comperatore, 50, was shot and killed while protecting his family at a rally for former President Donald Trump on Saturday in Butler County, Pennsylvania. Two other spectators of the event were critically wounded in the shooting.
“My thoughts are with hero Corey Comperatore’s family and friends during this terrible time,” Polis said in a release. “There are no words that can take away the pain of this moment, but together we can help honor his life and the man that he was. That’s why I’m directing that flags be lowered in Colorado. The last few days have been traumatic for all Americans, and we unite to mourn the tragic loss of Corey Comperatore.”
The order is for flags to be lowered to half-staff on July 16 from sunrise to sunset in memory of Comperatore’s death.
Support has poured in for the Comperatore family since the shooting, including sentiments from President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden.
“He was a father. He was protecting his family from the bullets that were being fired and he lost his life, God love him,” said the president, who added he was praying for the full recovery of the wounded.
Slain firefighter ‘a true brother of the fire service’
Randy Reamer, president of the Buffalo Township volunteer fire company, told The Associated Press that Comperatore was “a stand-up guy” and “a true brother of the fire service.”
“Just a great all-around guy, always willing to help someone out,” Reamer said of Comperatore. “He definitely stood up for what he believed in, never backed down to anyone. … He was a really good guy.”
He said Comperatore served as chief of the company for about three years but was also a life member, meaning he had served for more than 20 years.
A small memorial has also sprung up in the Comperatore family’s front yard. Additionally, a GoFundMe was launched to support Comperatore’s family and had already surpassed more than $1 million in donations as of Monday night.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
