Tragic twist in the death of firefighter Corey Comperatore at Trump rally

FREEPORT, PA — The firefighter who was killed while protecting his family from a sniper’s bullets at former President Donald Trump’s campaign rally shouldn’t have been sitting in the seat that put him in the line of fire, a grieving friend said.

Corey Comperatore, 50, took a front row seat just moments before the presidential candidate was scheduled to speak – and before a crazed gunman carried out a deadly attack that shocked the nation.

“This was a freak accident. He shouldn’t have even been sitting there and ended up losing his life,” Scott Dockherty, CEO of manufacturing company CID Associates, where Comperatore worked with his brother, said Thursday.

Dockherty revealed the tragic twist outside Comperatore’s wake at Laube Hall in Freeport, where hundreds of mourners paid their last respects.

Comperatore lunged at his wife and two daughters, throwing them to the ground while Thomas Matthew Crooks fired his bullets, his heartbroken widow Helen previously told the Washington Post.

“They realize that Corey and his family shouldn’t be sitting in those seats,” Dockherty told reporters, citing a conversation he had with Compertore’s brother Steve.

The Comperatores were standing to the left of the stage shortly before Trump’s speech – until someone offered the family of four tickets for the front row – a piece of cake for the Trump superfan.

“So Corey said, ‘Yeah, I’d love to do that,'” Dockherty said.

Trump had only been speaking for a few minutes when Crooks opened fire, grazing the ex-president’s ear.

Comperatore was killed and two other people were injured – 57-year-old David Dutch and 54-year-old James Copenhaver, both of whom were seriously injured but are expected to recover.

Meanwhile, Trump was touched on the ear.

Secret Service agents returned fire, killing Crooks just seconds after the chaos began.

Investigators are still searching through the assassin’s devices to find a motive.

“It’s heartbreaking. A man lost his life because of hate in this country. It’s horrible… The world needs to change, and fast. It’s sad,” Dockherty said.

“The hatred is terrible.”

Comperatore served as chief of the Buffalo Township Volunteer Fire Department for several years in the early 2000s before cutting back on his work 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.

Comperatore was about to celebrate his 29th wedding anniversary with his wife Helen, the two of whom had been lovers since childhood.

“He was a simple man, but his wife and children always came first. I didn’t do anything here. I didn’t lift a finger. He did everything,” Helen told the Post.