HARRISBURG- Tuesday, Rep. Stephanie Borowicz (R-Clinton/Union) joined fellow Republican lawmakers to hold a press conference recognizing Dr. James Sweetland for his heroic actions during an attempted assassination on former President Donald Trump on July 13 in Butler.
As a horrific scene unfolded, Sweetland acted swiftly and courageously to attempt to save lives. Sadly, the assassination attempt led to the tragic murder of volunteer firefighter Corey Comperatore while protecting his family.
“We tell our children to look for the heroes, and Dr. Sweetland was a hero in the midst of pure evil,” Borowicz said. “It is my absolute honor to recognize his actions today, and I offer my sincere gratitude to him for his courageous actions during the cowardly attacks on July 13.”
Rep. Mike Armanini (R-Clearfield/Elk) and Sen. Cris Dush (R-25) joined Borowicz at the press conference and offered the following sentiments on Sweetland’s heroism.
“In a crisis situation, the first inclination for many people is to run away from the scene. That afternoon at the Butler Farm Show Grounds in western Pennsylvania, Dr. Sweetland chose to run toward it,” Armanini said. “He’s not an emergency responder in the conventional sense but felt called to be one that day and should be applauded for answering that call.”
“Nearly every time, I have the honor of presenting a Senate citation for heroism, I begin by sharing my favorite quote from John Wayne: ‘Courage is being scared to death, but saddling up anyway,’” said Dush. “Dr. Jim Sweetland possesses all the qualities and attributes of the best kind of hero, a hero with a humble servant’s heart willing to apply his God-given skills as a physician to live out John 15:13 which says: ‘Greater love has no one than a person willing to lay down his life for his friends.’”
House Republicans introduced House Resolution 501 in hopes of forming a bipartisan select committee on the attempted assassination. The purpose of this committee would be to improve upon current practices to prevent such tragedies from occurring in the Commonwealth again.