Shots were fired during a rally speech by Donald Trump, which investigators are treating as a possible assassination attempt on the former president.
Including Abraham Lincoln and JFK, here are some notable examples of shootings involving US presidents or presidential candidates:
Abraham Lincoln (1865)
Abraham Lincoln was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth, a well-known actor and Confederate sympathizer, while attending a play called “Our American Cousin” at Ford’s Theater in Washington. Booth’s attack, just days after the Confederate surrender in the Civil War, was part of a larger plot that included attempts to assassinate Vice President Andrew Johnson and Secretary of State William Seward.
William McKinley (1901)
President William McKinley was shot and killed by anarchist Leon Czolgosz in Buffalo, New York.
Theodore Roosevelt (1912)
Former President Theodore Roosevelt, running for the White House, was shot in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The bullet, which remained lodged in his chest for the rest of his life, was slowed by the folded 50-page speech and steel eyeglass case in his breast pocket. Despite being shot, Roosevelt famously continued with his scheduled speech.
Franklin D. Roosevelt (1933)
As president-elect, Franklin D. Roosevelt was the target of an assassination attempt in Miami, Florida. He was unharmed, but Chicago Mayor Anton Cermak was killed in the attack.
John F. Kennedy (1963)
President John F. Kennedy was assassinated while riding in his motorcade with his wife Jackie in Dallas, Texas, by Lee Harvey Oswald. The Warren Commission concluded in 1964 that Oswald, a former Marine who had lived in the Soviet Union, acted alone. Many believe JFK’s death marked the beginning of a more violent period in US politics and society, amidst the Vietnam War and civil rights struggle.
Robert F. Kennedy (1968)
Robert F. Kennedy, who was running for the Democratic presidential nomination, was shot and killed at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles, California. His assassination occurred just two months after the killing of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., significantly impacting the 1968 presidential race and contributing to the political turmoil of the late 1960s.
George Wallace (1972)
While campaigning for the Democratic presidential nomination, George Wallace was shot four times and left paralyzed for life at a shopping mall in Laurel, Maryland. Wallace, known for his segregationist views and populist appeal, became a symbol of the political tensions and potential for domestic violence during the Vietnam War era.
Gerald Ford (1975)
President Gerald Ford survived two separate assassination attempts by women in California within a span of just 17 days in September 1975.
Ronald Reagan (1981)
President Ronald Reagan was shot and seriously wounded by John Hinckley Jr. as he left an event at the Hilton Hotel in Washington. Reagan spent twelve days in the hospital, and his humor and resilience during recovery boosted his popularity. Hinckley was granted unconditional release in 2022.
Donald Trump (2024)
Shots were fired during a rally speech by Donald Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania, prompting investigators to treat the incident as a possible assassination attempt. Trump was quickly escorted off the stage after gunshots were heard in the crowd.
