U.S. Capitol shooting incident (1954)

Encyclopedia : U : US : USC : U.S. Capitol shooting incident (1954)

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This article describes one of two major shooting incidents that have taken place at the U.S. Capitol; the other is described at Russell Eugene Weston Jr.

The U.S. Capitol shooting incident of 1954 was an attack on March 1, 1954 by four Puerto Rican nationalists who shot thirty rounds using automatic pistols from the Ladies' Gallery (a balcony for visitors) of the U.S. House of Representatives into the floor of that chamber of the United States Capitol.

The attackers (Lolita Lebrón, Rafael Cancel Miranda, Andres Figueroa Cordero and Irving Flores Rodriguez) unfurled a Puerto Rican flag and began shooting at the 240 Representatives who were then debating an immigration bill.

Five representatives were wounded in the attack; one was seriously hurt. (The party breakdown, as reported by the Washington Post, was three Democrats and two Republicans.) The wounded lawmakers were Alvin M. Bentley (R-Michigan), who took a bullet to the chest, Clifford Davis (D-Tennessee), who was shot in the leg, Ben F. Jensen (R-Iowa), who was shot in the back, as well as George Fallon (D-Maryland) and Kenneth A. Roberts (D-Alabama). There are still bullet holes from the incident, in a drawer in a desk on the Republican side of the House floor and one in the ceiling.

In 1979, United States President Jimmy Carter freed the assailants, after they had spent 25 years in prison. Their release coincided with Fidel Castro's release of several American CIA agents being held in Cuba on espionage charges. Carter's administration denied that there were any connections, saying it was making a humanitarian gesture.

See also

• U.S. Capitol shooting incident (1998)

External links

• ["A Terrorist in the House" by Manuel Roig-Franzia, The Washington Post Magazine, February 22, 2004, pg. W12.]
• ["No one expected attack on Congress in 1954" The Holland Sentinel, February 29, 2004]
• [Biographical Directory of the United States Congress: BENTLEY, Alvin Morell (1918-1969)]
• [Biographical Directory of the United States Congress: DAVIS, Clifford (1897-1970)]
• [Biographical Directory of the United States Congress: FALLON, George Hyde (1902-1980)]
• [Biographical Directory of the United States Congress: JENSEN, Benton Franklin (1892-1970)]
• [Biographical Directory of the United States Congress: ROBERTS, Kenneth Allison (1912-1989)]

 

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