Former assassinations and attempts in American history

Writer: Elyssa Morataya
Published: Updated:
Credit: WINK News.

Historically there have been four assassinations of sitting American presidents, and four attempts, that have left former presidents wounded.

Presidents Abraham Lincoln, James Garfield, William McKinley, and John F. Kennedy were all killed while in office.

  • Abraham Lincoln was shot and killed in 1865 by John Wilkes Booth at the Ford’s Theatre in Washington.
  • James Garfield was shot in July 1881 at the Baltimore and Potomac Railroad Station, he died two months later in September 1881. Charles J. Guiteau was convicted of his murder.
  • William McKinley was shot in Buffalo, New York on September 6, 1901. McKinley later succumbed to his injuries almost a week later on September 14. Leon Czolgosz was convicted of his murder.
  • John. F Kennedy was shot and killed in November 1963 by Lee Harvey Oswald as he rode in a motorcade in Dallas, Texas.

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Theodore Roosevelt, Ronald Reagan, Gerald Ford, and most recently, former president Donald Trump have all had attempts made on their life.

  • Theodore Roosevelt was shot in October of 1912 while campaigning in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Despite being shot in the chest, Roosevelt continued to give his scheduled speech.
  • Ronald Reagan was shot in March of 1981 while leaving the Hilton Hotel in Washington D.C.
  • Gerald Ford was shot at, September of 1975 in San Francisco California after delivering a speech to the World Affairs Council. Both shots made at Ford missed.
  • Donald Trump most recently had an attempt made on his life. Trump was injured while at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. Reportedly, Trump was shot by Thomas Matthew Crooks.

Roosevelt, Ford, and Reagan survived their experiences.

In a statement from Trump’s campaign, his campaign said Trump was “fine.”

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