Lycoming News

Rep. Stephanie Borowicz (R-Clinton/Union) and fellow Republican lawmakers held a press conference today in Harrisburg to honor Dr. James Sweetland for his actions during an assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump on July 13 in Butler.

During the incident, Sweetland acted quickly to try to save lives. Despite his efforts, volunteer firefighter Corey Comperatore was killed 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, praising Sweetland’s bravery.

“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 plans for forming a bipartisan select committee on the attempted assassination with the aim of improving practices to prevent such tragedies in Pennsylvania.