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Which US members of Congress have been killed or seriously injured in assassination attempts since 1900?
Executive summary
Records and modern reviews count roughly 20–22 serious attacks on sitting U.S. lawmakers since the 19th century, with at least 14 members of Congress killed in office and about 18 seriously wounded in attacks overall (Wikipedia summary) — though different authorities count incidents differently and some include staff or Capitol police [1] [2]. Congressional Research Service and news outlets say “at least 20” or “more than 20” instances of attacks on Members since 1789; contemporary tallies emphasize a cluster of high-profile attacks in the 20th–21st centuries [2] [3].
1. What the official tallies say: multiple counting methods, similar ballpark
The Congressional Research Service (CRS) and compilations by major outlets and reference sites converge on “about 20” serious incidents involving Members of Congress since the republic began, with CRS noting at least 20 such episodes and Wikipedia summarizing 14 Members killed and 18 seriously wounded while in office [2] [1]. Roll Call and The Hill independently report “more than 20” or “21” attacks depending on inclusion criteria — for example whether plots, assaults on staff, or fatal incidents abroad (Larry McDonald on KAL 007) are counted as attacks on Members [3] [4].
2. Why numbers vary: definitions, time frame and who is counted
Counts diverge because sources use different definitions: some count only successful physical attacks on sitting Members; some include attempted attacks, plots, or incidents that targeted staff or Capitol Police; others include deaths of Members abroad (Larry McDonald) or pre‑Civil War duels and on‑floor brawls. CRS stresses “instances of attacks against Members,” noting in some cases attacks “failed, were thwarted, or resulted in no serious injuries,” which alters totals depending on which incidents you include [2] [1].
3. Notable examples that shape the list
Several incidents appear in every catalogue: the 1954 Puerto Rican Nationalists’ shooting from the House gallery that wounded five Congressmen; the 1978 murder of Rep. Leo Ryan at Jonestown (while investigating constituents); the 2011 Tucson shooting that killed a staffer and critically wounded Rep. Gabrielle Giffords; and the 2017 Alexandria baseball practice shooting that critically injured Rep. Steve Scalise [5] [3] [6]. Earlier history — duels, on‑floor canings such as Preston Brooks’ 1856 attack on Charles Sumner and numerous antebellum brawls — also feed counts when historians widen the scope [7] [8].
4. Historical concentration and context: antebellum violence vs. modern terrorism/assassination
Violence within Congress itself peaked in the antebellum era — historians document dozens of physical altercations and at least 70 violent incidents among members in the decades before the Civil War [8]. In the 20th and 21st centuries, attacks tend to be external: politically motivated shootings, bombings, or international incidents (e.g., Larry McDonald on KAL 007) rather than fistfights on the floor [1] [9].
5. Contemporary trends and security implications
Recent reporting and government reviews emphasize an uptick in threats against Members and staff since the mid‑2010s; CRS and other sources note hundreds of threatening communications investigated in short periods and clusters of violent plots and attacks in the 2010s–2020s [2] [6]. News outlets and the CRS use those patterns to argue for greater security and resources for the U.S. Capitol Police and congressional protective measures [2] [6].
6. Limits of available reporting and what we cannot confirm from these sources
Available sources do not provide a single, authoritative, incident‑by‑incident list limited only to “Members of Congress killed or seriously injured since 1900” in this packet; rather they offer counts (at least 20 incidents; 14 killed in office; 18 wounded) and highlight notable cases, and different outlets apply different inclusion rules [2] [1] [3]. If you want a name‑by‑name list strictly for 1900 onward limited to sitting Members killed or “seriously injured,” those precise, consistently applied filters are not provided in the documents here — supplementary archival or CRS tables would be needed [2].
7. How to proceed if you need a definitive list
To compile a fully sourced, name‑by‑name list constrained to Members in office since 1900 and to specify “killed” versus “seriously injured,” consult the CRS table referenced by Congress.gov (which the CRS summary cites) and cross‑check with primary House/Senate historical archives or the Wikipedia list as a starting point; note that secondary summaries (Roll Call, Reuters, History, Smithsonian) are useful for context but apply slightly different inclusion rules [2] [1] [3].
Sources cited: Congressional Research Service (summary) and related contemporary reporting [2] [1] [3] [5] [6] [7] [8].