The assassinations that redirected history

Shinzō Abe 20120501 — Credit: Prime Minister of Japan Official·CC BY 4.0·Source

SOLVED AudioAssassination of Shinzo AbeNear Yamato-Saidaiji Station, Nara City, Nara Prefecture, Japan · 2022 · 1 thing to watch or hear

Why it’s hereJapan's former prime minister was shot with a homemade gun while campaigning in Nara; his killer was convicted in 2026.

Jo Cox memorial, Parliament Square, London — Credit: Garry Knight·CC0·Source

SOLVED AudioMurder of Jo CoxBirstall, West Yorkshire, England · 2016 · 1 thing to watch or hear

Why it’s hereThe Labour MP was shot and stabbed in her Yorkshire constituency by a far-right extremist; a judge found the killing an act of terrorism.

Boris Nemtsov — Credit: Dhārmikatva (Wikimedia Commons)·CC BY-SA 3.0·Source

SOLVED AudioAssassination of Boris NemtsovBolshoy Moskvoretsky Bridge, Moscow, Russia · 2015 · 1 thing to watch or hear

Why it’s hereThe Russian opposition leader was shot on a Moscow bridge hours after urging support for an anti-war march.

Benazir Bhutto — Credit: Oliver Mark·CC BY-SA 4.0·Source

SOLVED AudioAssassination of Benazir BhuttoLiaquat National Bagh, Rawalpindi, Pakistan · 2007 · 1 thing to watch or hear

Why it’s herePakistan's former prime minister was killed alongside 23 others after a campaign rally in Rawalpindi.

Anna Politkovskaya — Credit: Blaues Sofa (Flickr)·CC BY 2.0·Source

SOLVED AudioAssassination of Anna PolitkovskayaApartment block, central Moscow, Russia · 2006 · 1 thing to watch or hear

Why it’s hereThe journalist and Chechen-war critic was shot in her Moscow apartment building, on President Putin's birthday.

Yitzhak Rabin — Credit: Yaakov Saar, Government Press Office (Israel)·CC BY-SA 3.0·Source

SOLVED AudioAssassination of Yitzhak RabinKings of Israel Square (now Rabin Square), Tel Aviv · 1995 · 1 thing to watch or hear

Why it’s hereIsrael's prime minister was shot by an opponent of the Oslo Accords as he left a peace rally in Tel Aviv.

Rajiv Gandhi (1987) — Credit: Bart Molendijk / Anefo·CC BY-SA 3.0 NL·Source

SOLVED AudioAssassination of Rajiv GandhiSriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu, India · 1991 · 1 thing to watch or hear

Why it’s hereIndia's former prime minister was killed by an LTTE suicide bomber at a campaign rally in Tamil Nadu.

Olof Palme, 1981 — Credit: Firma Hagblom-Foto (via Wikimedia Commons)·CC0·Source

COLD AudioAssassination of Olof PalmeSveavägen, Stockholm, Sweden · 1980s

Why it’s hereSweden's prime minister was shot walking home from a cinema with his wife; the case was closed in 2020 but remains formally unsolved.

Indira Gandhi — Credit: Warren K. Leffler, U.S. News & World Report / U.S. Library of Congress·Public domain·Source

SOLVED AudioAssassination of Indira Gandhi1 Safdarjung Road, New Delhi, India · 1984 · 1 thing to watch or hear

Why it’s hereIndia's prime minister was shot by two of her own bodyguards, months after ordering a military operation at the Golden Temple.

Anwar Sadat — Credit: Official presidential portrait (Egyptian Presidency)·Public domain·Source

SOLVED AudioAssassination of Anwar SadatCairo, Egypt (site of the assassination during the annual victory parade) · 1981 · 1 thing to watch or hear

Why it’s hereEgypt's president was shot during a military parade in Cairo by members of Egyptian Islamic Jihad.

John Lennon — Credit: Bob Gruen / Capitol Records (1974 promotional press photo)·Public domain·Source

SOLVED AudioMurder of John LennonThe Dakota, 1 West 72nd Street · 1980 · 1 thing to watch or hear

Why it’s hereThe musician was shot outside his Manhattan home by a fixated attacker who had waited there for him.

Martin Luther King Jr. — Credit: New York World-Telegram & Sun / Wikimedia Commons·Public domain·Source

SOLVED AudioAssassination of Martin Luther King Jr.Lorraine Motel, Memphis, Tennessee · 1968 · 1 thing to watch or hear

Why it’s hereThe civil-rights leader was shot on a Memphis motel balcony while supporting striking sanitation workers.

SWPC-RFK-C020-010 (HQ) — Credit: Sven Walnum·CC0·Source

SOLVED AudioAssassination of Robert F. KennedyAmbassador Hotel, Los Angeles, California · 1968 · 1 thing to watch or hear

Why it’s hereThe senator was shot in a Los Angeles hotel pantry minutes after winning the California primary.

Malcolm X — Credit: Associated Press (1963 press photo)·Public domain·Source

OVERTURNED AudioAssassination of Malcolm XAudubon Ballroom, Washington Heights, Manhattan, New York City · 1965 · 1 thing to watch or hear

Why it’s hereThe activist was shot at a Manhattan ballroom; two of the men convicted at the time were exonerated in 2021.

JFK Motorcade GettyImages-517330536 — Credit: Walt Cisco, Dallas Morning News·Public domain·Source

SOLVED AudioAssassination of John F. KennedyDealey Plaza, Dallas, Texas · 1963 · 1 thing to watch or hear

Why it’s hereThe president was shot in a Dallas motorcade; the accused, Lee Harvey Oswald, was himself killed two days later.

Abraham Lincoln — Credit: Wikimedia Commons — Lincoln O-77 portrait (one of the last photographs of Lincoln, Feb…·Public domain·Source

SOLVED AudioAssassination of Abraham LincolnFord's Theatre, Washington, D.C. · 1865 · 3 to watch & hear

Why it’s hereThe president was shot at Ford's Theatre by John Wilkes Booth, as part of a wider plot against the US government.