List of assassinated American politicians
This is a list of assassinated American politicians. Individuals listed were either elected or appointed to office, or were candidates for elected office.
Politician | Portrait | Party | Year assassinated | Office held when assassinated | Site of assassination | Method of assassination | Name of assassin | Suspected motive | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Arndt, Charles C. P.Charles C. P. Arndt | Whig | 1842 | Wisconsin Territorial Legislator | Madison, Wisconsin (in the Old Wisconsin State Capitol) | gunshot | Vineyard, James Russell | Killed during an argument over a political appointment. | [1] | |
Bent, CharlesCharles Bent | 1847 | Governor of New Mexico Territory | Taos, New Mexico (in his home) | arrows and scalping | Romero, Tomás, Montoya, Pablo | Targeted during Taos Revolt, a popular uprising against newly asserted US authority over region. | [2] | ||
Brown, DerwinDerwin Brown | Democratic | 2000 | Sheriff-elect of DeKalb County, Georgia | Decatur, Georgia (in his home) | gunshot | Cuffy, Patrick (a DeKalb County sheriff's deputy) | Contract killing ordered by DeKalb County Sheriff Sidney Dorsey, who was defeated by Brown. | [3] | |
Bunnell, VickieVickie Bunnell | 1997 | Colebrook, New Hampshire District Judge | Colebrook, New Hampshire (outside her office) | gunshot | Carl Drega | Targeted by assailant due to finding him guilty of code violations. | [4] | ||
Burks, TommyTommy Burks | Democratic | 1998 | Tennessee State Senator | Cumberland County, Tennessee (in his home) | gunshot | Looper, Byron (the incumbent Putnam County Assessor) | Killed by his political opponent in 1998 State Senate race. | [5] | |
Cardis, LouisLouis Cardis | Democrat | 1877 | Texas State Representative | El Paso, Texas | gunshot | Howard, Charles | Killed as part of the San Elizario Salt War, a dispute over salt mining claims rooted in divisions between white and Hispanic settlers. | [6] | |
Cermak, AntonAnton Cermak | Democratic | 1933 | Mayor of Chicago | Miami, Florida (while riding in a vehicle) | gunshot to lung | Zangara, Giuseppe | Disputed; suspected of striking Cermak instead of intended target President-elect Franklin Roosevelt. | [7] | |
Chaves, José FranciscoJosé Francisco Chaves | Republican | 1904 | New Mexico Superintendent of Public Instruction | Pinoswells, New Mexico | gunshots (through the window of his home) | unknown assailant | unknown | [8] | |
Clayton, John M.John M. Clayton | Republican | 1889 | Congressman-elect from Arkansas | Plumerville, Arkansas | gunshots (through the window of his home) | unknown assailant | Unknown, but killed in the context of a disputed, fraudulent election. | [9] | |
Daronco, Richard J.Richard J. Daronco | 1988 | Judge, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York | Pelham, New York (in his home) | gunshot | Koster, Charles | Assailant was the father of a plaintiff whose harassment suit was dismissed by Daronco. | [10] | ||
Davis, James E.James E. Davis | Democratic | 2003 | New York City Councilman | New York City, New York (at City Hall) | gunshots | Askew, Othniel | Killed by prospective challenger for 2003 Council special election. | [11] | |
Denhardt, HenryHenry Denhardt | Democratic | 1937 | Lieutenant Governor (former) of Kentucky | Shelbyville, Kentucky (outside the Armstrong Hotel) | gunshots | Garr, E.S.; Garr, Roy | Killed by brothers of his late fiancée who he was charged with murdering. | [12] | |
Edwards , Louis F.Louis F. Edwards | Democratic | 1939 | Mayor, Long Beach, New York | Long Beach, New York (outside his home) | gunshot | Alvin Dooley | Killed by a city police officer and member of his security detail, the former head of the local police union, after Edwards supported a rival who thwarted Dooley's reelection to his union post; the assailant also shot and wounded another mayoral bodyguard, the officer who had unseated him. | [13] | |
Elliott, John MiltonJohn Milton Elliott | 1879 | Kentucky Court of Appeals Judge | Frankfort, Kentucky (after a conversation on a public street) | gunshots | Thomas Buford (an incumbent Henry County District Judge) | Assailant was brother of a plaintiff who lost a farm after Elliott dismissed motion for stay of foreclosure. | [14] | ||
Garfield, James A.James A. Garfield | Republican | 1881 | President of the United States | Washington, D.C. (at railway station) | gunshot to spine (death took three months) | Guiteau, Charles | Targeted after being rejected by Republican officials for a patronage appointment. | [15] | |
Goebel, WilliamWilliam Goebel | Democratic | 1900 | Governor of Kentucky | Frankfort, Kentucky (outside Old State Capitol) | gunshot to the chest | Unknown political opponents | Uncertain, but killed in the context of a disputed, fraudulent election. | [16] | |
Gwatney, BillBill Gwatney | Democratic | 2008 | Chairman of Arkansas Democratic Party | Little Rock, Arkansas (at his office at party headquarters) | gunshots | Johnson, Tim | Timothy Dale Johnson; assailant was reported to have quit his job and become reclusive in days leading up to incident. | [17] | |
Harrison, Sr., CarterCarter Harrison, Sr. | Democratic | 1893 | Mayor of Chicago | Chicago, Illinois (in his home) | gunshot | Prendergast, Patrick Eugene | Killed after assailant was rejected for appointment to a patronage position. | ||
Hasse, MarkMark Hasse | Republican | 2013 | Assistant District Attorney for Kaufman County, Texas | Kaufman, Texas (outside the County Courthouse) | gunshot | Williams, Eric | Killed by former justice of the peace who was convicted of burglary while in office. | [18] | |
Haughey, ThomasThomas Haughey | Republican | 1869 | Congressman from Alabama | Courtland, Alabama (at a political rally) | gunshot | Collins (first name unknown) | Assailant was a supporter of the target's rival for the Republican nomination for the Congressional race; both men exchanged verbal insults and engaged in fisticuffs before a weapon was brandished. | [19] | |
Hindman, Thomas C.Thomas C. Hindman | Democratic | 1868 | Congressman (former) from Arkansas | Helena, Arkansas (at his home) | gunshots through window | Unknown assailants | Unknown; multiple theories proposed. | [20] | |
Hinds, James M.James M. Hinds | Republican | 1868 | Congressman from Arkansas | Monroe County, Arkansas (while on horseback) | gunshot | Clark, George | Killed by a Ku Klux Klan member as part of intimidation of Republican carpetbaggers. | [21] | |
Holbrook, Edward DexterEdward Dexter Holbrook | Democratic | 1870 | Delegate (former) to the United States House of Representatives from Idaho Territory | Idaho City, Idaho (outside the County Courthouse) | gunshot | Douglas, Charles | Killed by the brother-in-law of James Crutcher, as a result of a dispute between Holbrook and Crutcher for control of the Boise County Democratic Party. | [22] | |
Jordan, LeonLeon Jordan | Democratic | 1970 | Missouri State Representative | Kansas City, Missouri (outside a restaurant) | gunshots | Unknown | Unknown, but alleged to have been subject to a Mafia contract killing | [23] | |
Kennedy, John F.John F. Kennedy | Democratic | 1963 | President of the United States | Dallas, Texas (while motorcading) | gunshots | Lee Harvey Oswald | Unknown, but several theories proposed. | [24] | |
Kennedy, Robert F.Robert F. Kennedy | Democratic | 1968 | United States Senator from New York and candidate for Democratic presidential nomination | Los Angeles, California (at the Ambassador Hotel) | gunshot | Sirhan Sirhan | Targeted as a symbol of Western support for Israel in that country's conflict with Arab states. | [25] | |
King, EdEd King | 1986 | Mayor of Mount Pleasant, Iowa | Mount Pleasant, Iowa | gunshot | Davis, Ralph | Killed during city council meeting; assailant had been in dispute with municipality over clogged sewer line. | [26] | ||
LeBreton, GeorgeGeorge LeBreton | 1844 | Oregon Secretary of State | Oregon City, Oregon (in his office) | gunshots | Cockstock | Killed by a Native American as part of resistance to white settlement in the area. | [27] | ||
Lincoln, AbrahamAbraham Lincoln | Republican | 1865 | President of the United States | Washington, DC. (Ford's Theatre) | gunshot | Booth, John Wilkes, a renowned stage actor | Assailant was a Confederate sympathizer. | [28] | |
Lloyd, Sr., Russell G.Russell G. Lloyd, Sr. | Republican | 1980 | Mayor (former) of Evansville, Indiana | Evansville, Indiana | gunshot | van Orden, Julia | Assailant suffered from mental illness and believed she was being harassed by the city; apparently targeted Lloyd under mistaken believe that he was incumbent mayor. | [29] | |
Long, HueyHuey Long | Democratic | 1935 | United States Senator and presidential candidate from Louisiana | Baton Rouge, Louisiana (inside the State Capitol) | gunshots | Carl Weiss | Uncertain, but Weiss was affiliated with a political family that opposed Long's machine. | [30] | |
Lowenstein, Allard K.Allard K. Lowenstein | Democratic | 1980 | Congressman (former) from New York | New York City, New York (in his office) | gunshots | Sweeney, Dennis | Assailant had a history of mental illness and believed Lowenstein had been plotting against them since their acquaintance at Stanford University. | [31] | |
McCook, Edwin StantonEdwin Stanton McCook | Republican | 1873 | Governor of Dakota Territory | Yankton, Dakota Territory (at a saloon which was being used for a public meeting) | gunshot | Wintermute, Peter | Target and assailant had initially engaged in fisticuffs over issue of financing the Dakota Southern Railroad; after feeling publicly humiliated by loss in this fight, assailant returned with pistol. | [32] | |
McKinley, WilliamWilliam McKinley | Republican | 1901 | President of the United States | Buffalo, New York (at Pan-American Exposition) | gunshot | Czolgosz, Leon | Assailant was aligned with anarchist movement and killed target as symbol of American inequality. | [33] | |
McLelland, MikeMike McLelland | Republican | 2013 | District Attorney for Kaufman County, Texas | Forney, Texas (in his home) | gunshot | Williams, Eric | Killed by former justice of the peace who was convicted of burglary while in office. | [18] | |
Milk, HarveyHarvey Milk | Democratic | 1978 | San Francisco City Supervisor | San Francisco, California (in his City Hall office) | gunshots | White, Dan, outgoing San Francisco City Supervisor | Assailant had recently resigned from office due to financial difficulties; he soon changed his mind and sought reappointment; Moscone denied this request upon the advice of Milk. | [34] | |
Moscone, GeorgeGeorge Moscone | Democratic | 1978 | Mayor of San Francisco | San Francisco, California (in his City Hall office) | gunshots | Assailant had recently resigned from office due to financial difficulties; he soon changed his mind and sought reappointment; Moscone denied this request upon the advice of Milk. | [34] | ||
Patterson, AlbertAlbert Patterson | Democratic | 1954 | Alabama Attorney General-elect | Phenix City, Alabama (walking to his vehicle) | gunshots | Unknown | Target had been elected on promise to crack down on organized crime in the state, which was strongly rooted in Phenix City | [35] | |
Pinckney, Clementa C.Clementa C. Pinckney | Democratic | 2015 | State senator from South Carolina | Charleston, South Carolina (at church) | gunshots | Roof, Dylann (suspect) | Killed in a mass shooting while leading his church congregation. | [36][37][38] | |
Pinckney, John M.John M. Pinckney | Democratic | 1905 | Congressman from Texas | Hempstead, Texas | gunshots | Unknown | Killed during riot instigated by opponents of alcohol prohibition. | [39] | |
Ramsay, DavidDavid Ramsay | 1815 | South Carolina State Senator and former Continental Congressman | Charleston, South Carolina | gunshots | Linnen, William | Assailant retaliated after target had deemed him insane during criminal court inquiry. | [40] | ||
Roll, JohnJohn Roll | 2011 | Judge, U.S. District Court, District of Arizona | Tucson, Arizona | gunshots | Loughner, Jared Lee | Apparently caught in crossfire as assailant sought to assassinate (and succeeded in wounding) Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords; assailant militantly opposed government authority. | [41] | ||
Romero, TomásTomás Romero | 1848 | Alcalde of Taos Pueblo | Taos, New Mexico (while imprisoned) | gunshots | John Fitzgerald | Killed following capture for inciting Taos Revolt; assailant retaliating for his brother's death in this uprising. | [2] | ||
Ryan, LeoLeo Ryan | Democratic | 1978 | Congressman from California | Port Kaituma, Guyana (on airport tarmac) | gunshots | Unknown members of the People's Temple | Ambushed while investigating allegations of human rights abuses at the Jonestown compound. | [42] | |
Slough, John P.John P. Slough | Democratic | 1867 | Chief Justice of the New Mexico Supreme Court | Santa Fe, New Mexico (at his office) | gunshot | Rynerson, William (an incumbent Territorial Legislator) | Killed after a public dispute in which each official accused the other of corruption. | [43] | |
Sharp, Solomon P.Solomon P. Sharp | Democratic-Republican | 1825 | Kentucky Attorney General, Kentucky State Senator-elect | Home in Frankfort, Kentucky | Stabbed (at his home) | Beauchamp, Jereboam O. | Killed over a longstanding dispute that was based partially on political differences and partially on Sharp fathering a child with the woman Beauchamp later married. | [44] | |
Smith, JosephJoseph Smith | 1844 | Mayor of Nauvoo, Illinois, candidate for U.S. President | Carthage, Illinois (while imprisoned) | Shot | The Carthage Greys | Founder of the controversial Mormon faith; lynched after surrendering to authorities investigating Smith's role in the destruction of an antagonistic Nauvoo newspaper. | [45] | ||
Stephens, John W.John W. Stephens | 1870 | North Carolina State Senator | Yanceyville, North Carolina (in the County Courthouse) | gunshots | Unknown, mobbed by estimated 8 to 12 men | Killed by Ku Klux Klan member as part of intimidation of Republican scalawags. | [47] | ||
Steunenberg, FrankFrank Steunenberg | Democratic | 1905 | Governor (former) of Idaho | Caldwell, Idaho (outside his home) | Bomb, set at front gate of his home | Orchard, Harry, possibly others | Targeted by organized labor for breaking a violent mining strike. | [48] | |
Strang, JamesJames Strang | Democratic | 1856 | Michigan State Representative | Beaver Island, Michigan (at a steamship terminal) | gunshot | Bedford, Thomas | Killed by a disgruntled former member of the Mormon sect led by Strang. | [49] | |
Swoboda, MikeMike Swoboda | 2008 | Mayor of Kirkwood, Missouri | Kirkwood, Missouri (during a city council meeting) | Gunshot (died seven months later from complications) | Charles Lee "Cookie" Thornton | Assailant retaliated for fines levied by municipality for code violations. | [51] | ||
Thornton, JohnJohn Thornton | 2010 | Mayor of Washington Park, IL | Washington Park, Illinois (in his vehicle) | gunshot | Jackson, Aaron | Unknown; assailant was allegedly a passenger in target's car. | [52] | ||
Vance, Robert SmithRobert Smith Vance | 1989 | Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit | Mountain Brook, Alabama (in his home) | mail bomb | Moody, Walter Leroy, Jr. | Killed after court refused to expunge from assailant's record a previous conviction for explosives possession. | [54] | ||
Wood, Samuel NewittSamuel Newitt Wood | 1891 | Kansas Territorial Legislator, Kansas State Senator | Hugoton, Kansas (outside County Courthouse) | gunshots | Brennan, James | Killed during series of armed conflicts in which residents of the two largest towns of Stevens County fought for county seat status. | [55] | ||
Wood, Jr., John H.John H. Wood, Jr. | 1979 | Judge, U.S. District Court, Western District of Texas | San Antonio, Texas (outside his home) | gunshot | Harrelson, Charles | Contract killing ordered by Jamiel Chagra due to target's harsh convictions of Latin American drug kingpins. | [56] |
See also
- Political murder
- List of assassinated US presidents
- List of assassinated people
- List of assassinations and acts of terrorism against Americans
- List of United States federal judges killed in office
- List of United States Congress members killed or wounded in office
References
- ↑ 'Wisconsin's Saddest Tragedy,' M.M. Qualife, Wisconsin Historical Society: 1922, vol 15, no. 5, pg. 264-283
- 1 2 Durand, John, ‘’The Taos Massacres’’, Puzzlebox Press, Elkhorn, WI 2004
- ↑ "Former Sheriff Guilty in Successor's Killing". The New York Times. July 11, 2002.
- ↑ "A TIME BOMB EXPLODES". TIME.com. 1 September 1997.
- ↑ "The Political Graveyard: Index to Politicians". Retrieved 24 July 2014.
- ↑ "CARDIS, LOUIS | The Handbook of Texas Online| Texas State Historical Association (TSHA)". Tshaonline.org. Retrieved 2016-08-18.
- ↑ Kendall, Peter. "The shooting of Anton Cermak". Chicago Tribune.
- ↑ "New Mexico Office of the State Historian | people". Newmexicohistory.org. Retrieved 2016-08-18.
- ↑ Barnes, Kenneth. "John Middleton Clayton (1840–1889)". The Encyclopedia of Arkansas History & Culture.
- ↑ "Slain Judge Ruled Against His Killer's Daughter". The New York Times. 23 May 1988.
- ↑ "Killer Competition". NYMag.com.
- ↑
- ↑ "15 Nov 1939, Page 1 - The Brooklyn Daily Eagle at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com.
- ↑ Lewis Franklin Johnson. "Famous Kentucky Tragedies and Trials: A Collection of Important and ...". Books.google.com. p. 205. Retrieved 2016-08-18.
- ↑ "President Garfield's Assassin: Charles Guiteau's Time in Washington - Ghosts of DC". Ghosts of DC. 25 January 2012.
- ↑ "goebel". Kentuckyexplorer.com. Retrieved 2016-08-18.
- ↑ "Arkansas News Bureau - Gwatney's widow to serve as superdelegate at Democratic convention". Archived from the original on 24 September 2008.
- 1 2
- ↑ Nancy E. Marion; Willard Oliver (2014-07-22). "Killing Congress: Assassinations, Attempted Assassinations and Other ...". Books.google.com. p. 18. Retrieved 2016-08-18.
- ↑ Neal, Diane (1997). The Lion of the South: General Thomas C. Hindman. Macon, Georgia: Mercer University Press. ISBN 0-86554-556-1.
- ↑ "James Hinds (1833â€"1868)". Encyclopedia of Arkansas. Retrieved 2016-08-18.
- ↑
- ↑
- ↑ "AARC Public Library - HSCA Final Assassinations Report". ASSASSINATION ARCHIVES.
- ↑ "Palestinian terror stretches back to RFK killing at the Ambassador Hotel - Opinion". Jewish Journal.
- ↑ "American Notes Revenge - TIME magazine". Time. 1986-12-22. Retrieved 2008-08-16.
- ↑ "Oregon Secretary of State: That Trail's Gone Cold!". Bluebook.state.or.us. Retrieved 2016-08-18.
- ↑ Kauffman, Michael W. (2005). American Brutus. Random House Digital. p. 185. Retrieved 2012-09-09.
- ↑ "View Article". Local.evpl.org. Retrieved 2016-08-18.
- ↑ "Huey Long's Assassination - Who Killed Huey Long". Hueylong.com. 1935-09-10. Retrieved 2016-08-18.
- ↑ William Henry Chafe. "Never Stop Running: Allard Lowenstein and the Struggle to Save American ...". Books.google.com. Retrieved 2016-08-18.
- ↑ Thomas E. Simmons. "Territorial Justice under Fire: The Trials of Peter Wintermute, 1873-1875". Sdshspress.com. Retrieved 2016-08-18.
- ↑ "McKinley Assassination Ink: A Documentary History of William McKinley's Assassination". Mckinleydeath.com. Retrieved 2016-08-18.
- 1 2 Mike Weiss, Double Play: The Hidden Passions Behind the Double Assassination of George Moscone and Harvey Milk (San Francisco: Vince Emery Productions, 2010) pp. 213-216, 474.
- ↑ "Albert L. Patterson". Encyclopedia of Alabama.
- ↑ "Tragedy strikes Charleston, South Carolina". MSNBC. June 17, 2015. Retrieved June 17, 2015.
- ↑ "Nine dead after 'hate crime' shooting at Emanuel AME". Post and Courier.
- ↑ "Nine shot, multiple fatalities reported in downtown church shooting". The Post And Courier. 2015-06-17. Retrieved 2015-06-17.
- ↑ "Members of the U.S. Congress Who Have Died of Other Than Natural Causes While in Office" (PDF). Policyarchive.org. Retrieved 2016-08-18.
- ↑ The Analectic Magazine, September 1815 (collected in Volume 6), "Biographical Memoir of David Ramsay, M.D." (by Robert Y. Hayne but uncredited in source), p. 224.
- ↑ Jijo Jacob. "Who is Jared Lee Loughner?". International Business Times.
- ↑ Reiterman, Tim; Jacobs, John (1982). Raven: The Untold Story of Rev. Jim Jones and His People. Dutton. ISBN 0-525-24136-1.
- ↑ Death Comes for the Chief Justice (1992) by Gary L. Roberts, p. 70.
- ↑ Cooke, J.W. (January 1998). "The Life and Death of Colonel Solomon P. Sharp Part 1: Uprightness and Inventions; Snares and Nets" (PDF). The Filson Club Quarterly. 72 (1).
- ↑ "Joseph Smith: Campaign for President of the United States" (2009) by Arnold K. Garr.
- ↑ "American Crucifixion: The Murder of Joseph Smith and the Fate of the Mormon Church" (2014) by Alex Beam.
- ↑ "LIFE IN NORTH CAROLINA. - The Murder of Senator John W. Stephens A Terrible Scene Shall His Assassins Be Amnestied?". The New York Times. 26 February 1873.
- ↑ "Idaho Meanderings: "The Gate on 16th Avenue" - A Century Ago and Today". Steunenberg.blogspot.com. 2009-01-30. Retrieved 2016-08-18.
- ↑
- ↑
- ↑ "6 dead in shooting rampage at Kirkwood City Council". St. Louis Post Dispatch. 2008-02-07. Retrieved 2008-02-07.
- ↑ Suhr, Jim. "Mayor of Troubled Illinois Town Is Slain." Associated Press. April 1, 2010. Retrieved on April 2, 2010.
- ↑ Spriggs, Afton. "Mayor of Washington Park found shot to death, 1 person in custody." KMOV. April 1, 2010. Retrieved on April 1, 2010.
- ↑ "Roy Moore, Bob Vance face off in Alabama chief justice race". AL.com.
- ↑ Memorial of Samuel N. Wood (1892) by Margaret Lyon Wood
- ↑ "1979 Killing Called 'Attack on System' : 'Traumatic' Murder of Judge Recalled". latimes.
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