Famous Assassination Attempts
When: June 13, 1981
How? The queen was on horseback, riding in the Trooping the Colour ceremony, when Marcus Sarjeant fired six blank shots at her. Sarjeant pleaded guilty and was imprisoned
When: March 30, 1981
How? After watching this movie, John Hinckley Jr. became obsessed with actress Jodie Foster. He tried to impress her by assassinating President Reagan. Hinckley fired six shots at the president, hitting him with one. Hinckley was found not guilty
When: May 13, 1981
How? Turkish gunman Mehmet Ali Agca shot the pope as he spoke in Saint Peter's Square. Agca was sentenced to life in prison but later pardoned
When: Nov. 1, 1950
How? Oscar Collazo and Griselio Torresola shot at White House policemen as they tried to reach Blair House, where President Truman was staying. Torresola died in the shootout, and Collazo was sentenced to death, but this was later changed to life in prison.
When: Dec. 11, 1960
How? Richard Pavlick attempted to kill President Kennedy before he even served a day in office. Luckily, the sight of Kennedy with his wife and children stopped him. He was arrested a few days later and admitted to a mental health facility. Read about JFK's assassination three years later.
When: Oct. 14, 1912
How? Roosevelt was campaigning for office when he was shot by John Schrank. Schrank was admitted to a mental hospital. Find out what he said led him to shoot Roosevelt.
When: July 20, 1944
How? The July 20 plot, involving Claus von Stauffenberg, is probably the most famous assassination attempt on Hitler. Stauffenberg, a military adviser to Hitler, set off a bomb in a conference room, but the Fuhrer escaped with minor injuries. Stauffenberg fled but was captured later that night and killed.
When: Sept. 5, 1975
How? Lynette Fromme, a follower of Charles Manson, shot at President Ford as he was campaigning for office. She was sentenced and Ford continued his campaign. A few weeks later, he survived a second assassination attempt
When: Jan. 30, 1835
How? House painter Richard Lawrence tried to shoot Jackson, but his gun misfired. In response, Jackson beat Lawrence with his cane. This frontiersman was on hand to disarm Lawrence, who was later found not guilty
When: Aug. 30, 1918
How? Political revolutionary Fanny Kaplan shot at Lenin while the Russian dictator was speaking . Three shots hit him, and Kaplan was later executed for the attempted assassination.
When: Fall, 1960
How? The CIA was allegedly behind one of the most famous assassination attempts on Castro.
When: Aug. 15, 1974
How? North Korean agent Mun Se-gwang shot at Chung-Hee while the president of South Korea was giving a speech. Mun, who was later executed, missed Park but hit and killed his wife, Yuk Young-soo.
When: Oct. 18, 2007
How? Bhutto, a particularly notable prime minister of Pakistan, had been in exile from the country but returned in 2007. She was at the airport when two suicide bombers blew themselves up. Bhutto was unhurt, but many people were killed. Bhutto was assassinated a few months later.
When: Early September 2004
How? The president of Ukraine was campaigning for office when he fell sick with unique symptoms. It was later determined that he had been poisoned. Yushchenko said it was an assassination attempt, but others have disagreed
When: Feb. 22, 1974
How? Samuel Byck shot at police at Baltimore's airport and hijacked a plane. His plan was to kill Nixon by crashing the plane into the White House. After Byck shot both pilots, a heroic policeman shot his way onto the plane and wounded Byck, who then killed himself.
When: Oct. 12, 1984
How? Patrick Magee, a member of the Irish Republican Army, set off a bomb at a Conservative Party conference. Thatcher escaped, but five people were killed.Magee received eight life sentences but was released under the Good Friday Agreement after serving 14 years.
When: Feb. 7, 1991
How? The Irish Republican Army fired three mortar shells at 10 Downing Street, where British Prime Minister Major was in a meeting. Major was unhurt, but four people were injured. The IRA claimed responsibility, but no one was arrested after the attack.
When: Dec. 31, 1999
How? Michael Abram broke into Harrison's home and stabbed him with a kitchen knife. Harrison's wife Olivia called police, then began beating Abram. The struggle continued until police arrived. Abram was acquitted of attempted murder. Harrison died two years later from lung cancer
When: May 10, 2005
How? Vladimer Arutiniani threw a grenade at the former president as he spoke in the nation of Georgia. The grenade didn't go off, and no one was injured. Months later, Arutiniani confessed to the attempted assassination
When: Jan. 8, 2011
How? High school dropout Jared Lee Loughner allegedly shot U.S. Rep. Giffords in the head as she met with constituents at a Safeway. Giffords was critically injured but survived. In total, six were killed and 13 injured in the attack. As of now, Loughner won't stand trial
When: March 19, 2004
How? The president of Taiwan was shot in the stomach as he campaigned for a second term. Although no suspects were immediately found, the investigation eventually identified one, Chen Yi-hsiung, who was found drowned several days after the shooting.
When: July 14, 2002
How? Maxime Brunerie shot at French President Chirac before a Bastille Day parade. Brunerie admitted he planned to kill the president and then himself. He was found guilty of attempted murder and was sentenced
Source: Special
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