7 US presidents who survived assassination attempts: From Andrew Jackson to Donald Trump
1. Andrew Jackson — Jan. 30, 1835
Andrew Jackson was the subject of what historians widely consider the first assassination attempt on a U.S. president, which occurred during a congressional funeral procession in 1835.
The would-be assassin, Richard Lawrence, was an unemployed house painter from England who was believed to be mentally ill. He reportedly believed Jackson was preventing him from becoming the rightful king of England.
Lawrence confronted Jackson and tried to fire two different pistols at the president, both of which misfired. In response, Jackson charged at the assassin with a cane before bystanders tackled Lawrence.
According to the Senate Historical Office, the incident bred many conspiracy theories, with some claiming that political opponents of the president had been behind the attempt on Jackson’s life.
“There was no conspiracy. Richard Lawrence was insane,” according to the Senate Historical Office. “This became quite obvious during his trial, and he lived out his life in asylums.”
