How many presidents have been assassinated?

Four sitting presidents have been killed, all of them by gunshot: Abraham Lincoln (1865), James A. Garfield (1881), William McKinley (1901) and John F. Kennedy (1963). Additionally, two presidents have been injured in attempted assassinations, also by gunshot: Theodore Roosevelt (1912; former president at the time) and Ronald Reagan (1981). read more

During the history of the United States, eight presidents have died in office. Of those eight, four were assassinated and four died of natural causes. In all eight cases, the Vice President of the United States took over the office of presidency as part of the United States presidential line of succession. read more

Four U.S. presidents have been assassinated while in office and many more have faced serious attempts on their lives. Andrew Jackson holds the dubious distinction of being the first sitting president to survive a serious assassination attempt, which occurred in 1835. Thirty years later, Abraham Lincoln was the first to be slain. read more

Abraham Lincoln was the first president to be assassinated. He was shot by John Wilkes Booth on April 14, 1865. Sixteen years later, on September 19, 1881, President James A. Garfield was assassinated by Charles J. Guiteau. Nearly twenty years after that, President William McKinley died from complications after being shot twice by Leon Czolgosz. read more

Assassination attempts and plots on the President of the United States have been numerous, ranging from the early 1800s to the 2010s. More than 30 attempts to kill an incumbent or former president, or a president-elect have been made since the early 1800s. read more