Violent streak
The attempt on Trump’s life is shocking, but unsurprising. If history is a guide, these attacks will become more frequent.
It was a moment that changed American politics forever. Or so it seemed. A 20-year-old man, Thomas Crooks, tried to assassinate US presidential hopeful Donald Trump. His volley of shots from a nearby rooftop came close to killing the Republican, grazing his ear. Mr Crooks’s stray bullets killed a man in the crowd and seriously injured two more. Snipers with the Secret Service, the people who guard the president, shot him dead.
The motive for the assassination attempt is not clear. Mr Crooks was a gun enthusiast, and folks who knew him described him as a quiet loner with no mental health issues. Mr Trump left the stage imploring his supporters to “Fight! Fight! Fight!” The dramatic events have left many wondering what has become of American politics. For a nation obsessed with guns, is an assassination attempt even unexpected? Sadly, the answer is no. Violence is a mainstay of American politics.
The first question this draws is: how likely is the president to be assassinated? Historicall…