Corey Comperatore family recalls slain father as 'girl dad,' 'great husband,' vows to get justice: 'Blood is on their hands'

Corey Comperatore was a 50-year-old retired volunteer fire chief who was killed while protecting his family during the fateful Trump campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. The family of the slain father gave their first formal interview since the tragic events of July 13 when Comperatore was shot and killed during the rally for former President Donald Trump.

Corey and Helen Comperatore were married 29 years ago after being young sweethearts. They started dating as sophomores in high school.

'I started screaming, but in my head, I kept saying, 'Wake up,' like this is a dream. And then you realize it's not a dream, and you feel like your whole world is just over.'

Helen recalled of her blossoming romance with Corey, "It was Valentine's Day. Corey showed up at my house with a dozen red roses. I said, 'Does this mean we're dating?' And he said, 'Yes, I think so,' and I said, 'OK.'"

The couple got married and had two daughters: Allyson and Kaylee.

Helen noted that Corey was a "great man," a "great husband," and a "great father."

At age 16, Corey became a volunteer firefighter and worked his way to the fire chief of the Buffalo Township Fire Company in Pennsylvania.

The family reminisced how Corey loved his two "rambunctious" Doberman pinschers and bass fishing.

The family pointed out how Corey was the best "girl dad."

Allyson told WTAE-TV, "He would put my hair in braids if I wanted my hair in braids. When I was doing competitive cheer, he was the cool dad because he could do back handsprings – and as soon as everybody got wind of that, he had all these little girls begging him to go up and do these back handsprings on the tumble track."

The family said that Corey was so excited to see former President Trump for the first time at the Butler rally.

Hours before his heartbreaking death, Corey's final X social media post read: "Trump rally! Butler, PA."

The would-be assassin of Trump unleashed eight shots toward the Butler rally on July 13.

Corey unselfishly and instinctively went to protect his beloved family who were at the rally with him when the Trump assassination attempt happened.

Allyson revealed, "I was the one that my dad threw down. As he was throwing me down, that was when he was shot and he ended up falling onto me. I don't remember hearing any other shots. I don't remember feeling any other shots. In that moment, I was trying to take care of him."

The grief-stricken daughter continued, "I was really confused when he was on me. I had turned around, and I went, 'Dad,' and when I turned is whenever he fell down, and that's when I started screaming and instantly I was trying to keep him from bleeding."

Kaylee explained, "I started screaming, but in my head, I kept saying, 'Wake up,' like this is a dream. And then you realize it's not a dream, and you feel like your whole world is just over."

One of the gunman's bullets struck Corey in the head and killed him.

Helen declared, "He definitely was a hero. He saved his wife, he saved his child, and he was just the best guy. He was just the best."

Helen said of her slain husband, "He was just a wonderful man, and I want everybody to try not to remember him as the man that was shot at the rally."

The widow of the slain former fire chief is absolutely appreciative of all of the support the family has received but knows that it will never bring Corey back. However, Helen wants to expose how her husband was massacred during a political rally.

Helen said, "I talk to him anyway, and the only thing that ever comes out of my mouth is, 'I'm sorry that this happened to you.' But I know he would want me to get to the bottom of this. I know he would."

The Comperatore family has begun to try to put the pieces together as to what led to Corey being mercilessly gunned down on what was to be a joyous day.

Helen declared, "I want justice for my husband, and I'm going to get it."

Kaylee believes that the security at the Trump rally has "my dad's blood is on their hands, and I hope they wake up every day thinking about what they took from our family."

The distraught daughter added, "Because we have to wake up every day and see that image of our father in our head, and no child should ever have to see that."

A preliminary investigative report released this week by Rep. Clay Higgins (R-La.) — a member of the House Bipartisan Task Force on the Attempted Assassination of Donald J. Trump — accused the FBI and the Secret Service of questionable decisions leading up to and following the deadly Trump assassination attempt last month.

The FBI has since issued a statement to Blaze News denying the accusations.

"Any suggestion the FBI is interfering with congressional efforts to look into the attempted assassination which took place in Butler, Pennsylvania, is inaccurate and unfounded," the FBI National Press Office told Blaze News. “The FBI has been working closely with our law enforcement partners to conduct a thorough investigation into the shooting, and we have followed normal procedures in the handling of the crime scene and evidence.

“The FBI continues its painstaking work on the investigation to develop as complete a picture as possible of what led to the shooting, and we remain committed to maximum transparency as we continue to brief Congress and publish information for the public regarding the ongoing investigation."

You can watch the entire WTAE-TV interview with the Comperatore family here.

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