Former US President Donald Trump was shot on July 14 during an election campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. A 20-year-old man named Thomas Matthew Crooks was a suspected in the attempted assassination. Let us look at the list of successful assassination attempts in the twenty-first century.
![article-image](https://media.assettype.com/freepressjournal/2024-07/140c150f-3a13-4794-92ef-42bfe05d0d83/Hero Image - 2024-07-14T123943.812.jpg)
2022
July 8, Japan: Former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was assassinated by a gunman who opened fire on him during a campaign speech in western Japan, highlighting security vulnerabilities in developed democracies.
![Former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe](https://media.assettype.com/freepressjournal/2024-07/c0fc973b-87e4-40b3-a097-e2c112d2bf06/FPJ CUSTOM PIC (97).jpg)
Former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe | X
2021
July 7, Haiti: President Jovenel Moïse was assassinated by gunmen in a raid on his Port-au-Prince home, leading to indictments of several prominent figures allegedly involved in his killing.
![President Jovenel Moïse](https://media.assettype.com/freepressjournal/2024-07/78fd4a8d-7111-4de0-8574-04bf20425fb3/FPJ CUSTOM PIC (85).jpg)
President Jovenel Moïse | X
2021
April 20, Chad: President Idriss Deby Itno was assassinated while battling rebels shortly after winning re-election, exposing the fragile security situation in the region.
![President Idriss Deby Itno in UNO](https://media.assettype.com/freepressjournal/2024-07/6b8fabf9-dfe1-4186-961e-189808e874c9/FPJ CUSTOM PIC (86).jpg)
President Idriss Deby Itno in UNO | X
2016
December 19, Turkey: Russia’s ambassador to Turkey, Andrei Karlov, was assassinated by a Turkish policeman at a photo exhibit, reflecting tensions over Russia's military involvement in Syria.
2013
February 6, Tunisia: Left-wing opposition leader Chokri Belaid was fatally shot outside his home, triggering political unrest in Tunisia amid accusations of political motives behind the killing.
![Left-wing opposition leader Chokri Belaid, Tunisia](https://media.assettype.com/freepressjournal/2024-07/dd756065-1653-4792-b7aa-48831fcf57e4/FPJ CUSTOM PIC (87).jpg)
Left-wing opposition leader Chokri Belaid, Tunisia | X
2011
October 20, Libya: Longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi was killed by insurgents following a NATO-backed uprising, marking a violent end to his rule and the beginning of Libya's tumultuous transition.
![Dictator Moammar Gadhafi](https://media.assettype.com/freepressjournal/2024-07/f23289bc-bf64-4e75-85da-7676979cbcd8/FPJ CUSTOM PIC (88).jpg)
Dictator Moammar Gadhafi | X
2009
March 2, Guinea-Bissau: President Joao Bernardo Vieira was assassinated by renegade soldiers, exacerbating political instability in the West African nation.
![President Joao Bernardo Vieira](https://media.assettype.com/freepressjournal/2024-07/d6eed4cd-8b6c-4849-accb-cfe158759b2f/FPJ CUSTOM PIC (89).jpg)
President Joao Bernardo Vieira | X
2007
December 27, Pakistan: Benazir Bhutto, Pakistan's first female prime minister, was assassinated by a suicide bomber during a political rally in Rawalpindi, deepening political turmoil in Pakistan.
![Benazir Bhutto, Pakistan's first female PM](https://media.assettype.com/freepressjournal/2024-07/026988e5-39c5-4309-90a1-fc5a9e9eb0cd/FPJ CUSTOM PIC (90).jpg)
Benazir Bhutto, Pakistan's first female PM | X
2005
February 14, Lebanon: Prime Minister Rafik Hariri was killed by a suicide truck bomb in Beirut, an event that galvanizes Lebanon and triggers international scrutiny over Syria's role in the region.
![Prime Minister Rafik Hariri](https://media.assettype.com/freepressjournal/2024-07/13780f30-a3fa-43b7-9f03-47e3719530a6/FPJ CUSTOM PIC (91).jpg)
Prime Minister Rafik Hariri | X
2003
March 12, Serbia: Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic was assassinated in Belgrade, a stark reminder of the challenges facing post-Milosevic reforms in Serbia.
![Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic](https://media.assettype.com/freepressjournal/2024-07/448ea2f3-284a-4d9e-8c2e-0b68f8d8d355/FPJ CUSTOM PIC (92).jpg)
Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic | X
2002
May 6, Netherlands: Dutch politician Pim Fortuyn was gunned down by an animal rights activist ahead of a general election, shocking the Netherlands and igniting debates on political extremism.
![Dutch politician Pim Fortuyn](https://media.assettype.com/freepressjournal/2024-07/4eb1d395-d120-4ded-a563-824790abc0c5/FPJ CUSTOM PIC (93).jpg)
Dutch politician Pim Fortuyn | X
2001
June 1, Nepal: King Birendra of Nepal was killed in a royal palace massacre orchestrated by his son, Crown Prince Dipendra, amid a dispute over the prince's marriage, plunging Nepal into mourning and political uncertainty.
![Prince Birendra fo Nepal](https://media.assettype.com/freepressjournal/2024-07/8edf5890-c01c-44ea-8976-fea9b67cf51f/FPJ CUSTOM PIC (94).jpg)
Prince Birendra fo Nepal | X
2001
January 18, Democratic Republic of Congo: President Laurent Kabila was assassinated by one of his bodyguards in Kinshasa, triggering instability in the DRC amid regional power struggles.
![President Laurent Kabila, Democratic Republic of Congo](https://media.assettype.com/freepressjournal/2024-07/aac3058e-b620-416d-8be7-6450a1a440c8/FPJ CUSTOM PIC (96).jpg)
President Laurent Kabila, Democratic Republic of Congo | X
This timeline illustrates the global nature of political violence, driven by diverse motivations ranging from ideological extremism and regional conflicts to personal disputes and internal power struggles.