- Photo 1:
- Photo 2:
- Alexander Gardner
- Wikimedia Commons
- Public domain
- Photo 3:
- Unknown photographer
- Wikimedia Commons
- Public domain
How Long It Actually Took To Catch The Most Infamous High-Profile Assassins In History
An assassination is essentially a murder. Planned, motivated by ideology or grievance, and against individuals with a high-profile, assassinations receive a lot of attention from the public and the media alike.
In the aftermath of an assassination, law enforcement mobilizes to find or, in some cases, simply detain the individual responsible. There are instances when crowds or associates of assassins get involved and aid in the apprehension of the killer, too.
The most famous assassinations in history remain part of the public consciousness. Presidential assassins like John Wilkes Booth and Lee Harvey Oswald are present in history books alongside international assassins such as Gavrilo Princip. The manhunts to find and bring assassins to justice are equally likely to be part of the offenders' stories. No two manhunts are the same and a host of circumstances dictate how - and for how long - they unfold.
- Photo:
- Gideon Markowiz
- Wikimedia Commons
- CC BY 4.0
1Yigal Amir
Capture: Immediate
Yigal Amir assassinated Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin on November 4, 1995, during a peace rally in Tel Aviv. He was quickly subdued by security and bystanders at the scene. Amir opposed Rabin's policies, particularly the Oslo Accords with the Palestinians.
He was convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison. Throughout his trial, Amir remained unrepentant, maintaining that his actions were justified by his political beliefs.
Apprehended Quickly?- Photo:
- Photo:
- unidentified police photographer
- Wikimedia Commons
- Public domain
2Leon Czolgosz
Capture: Immediate
Leon Czolgosz shot President William McKinley on September 6, 1901, at the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo, New York. He was apprehended right away by bystanders and security personnel at the scene. Czolgosz was found guilty of first-degree murder and sentenced to death, showing no remorse throughout his trial.
He was executed in the electric chair on October 29, 1901. Czolgosz's actions were rooted in his belief that McKinley represented an oppressive ruling class.
Apprehended Quickly?- Photo:
- Photo:
- Los Angeles Police Department
- Wikimedia Commons
- Public domain
Capture: Immediate
Sirhan Sirhan shot Robert F. Kennedy, a U.S. Senator and presidential candidate, on June 5, 1968, at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles. Kennedy had just won California's Democratic presidential primary and was on his way to greet supporters.
After shooting Kennedy three times at close range, Sirhan was immediately apprehended by bystanders and security personnel at the scene. He was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to death in 1969. His sentence was later commuted to life in prison when California temporarily abolished the death penalty.
Apprehended Quickly?- Photo:
- Photo:
- New York City Police Department
- Wikimedia Commons
- Public domain
Capture: Immediate
Mark David Chapman shot five shots and killed John Lennon, a member of the Beatles, on December 8, 1980, outside Lennon's residence in New York City. He was immediately arrested and was found by the police reading Catcher. Chapman pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and was sentenced in 1981 to 20 years to life in prison. Chapman was denied parole for the 14th time in 2025.
Apprehended Quickly?- Photo:
- Photo:
- Unknown photographer
- Wikimedia Commons
- Public domain
Capture: Immediate
Charles J. Guiteau assassinated President James A. Garfield on July 2, 1881, at the Baltimore and Potomac Railroad Station in Washington, D.C. He was arrested on the spot after the shooting. Guiteau was tried for murder and insisted he acted under divine command, but his defense of temporary insanity did not succeed.
He was found guilty and executed by hanging on June 30, 1882. The trial was one of the first to consider an insanity defense in the U.S., drawing significant media attention.
Apprehended Quickly?- Photo:
Capture: Immediate
Gavrilo Princip made history on June 28, 1914, when he shot and killed Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria and his wife Sophie in Sarajevo. The assassination was a pivotal moment, sparking the beginning of World War I. Right after firing the fatal shots, Princip was captured by onlookers at the scene.
Because he was only 19 at the time, Princip escaped the death penalty. Instead, he received a 20-year prison sentence. He never made it out of prison alive, succumbing to illness, most notably tuberculosis, and poor conditions in 1918.
Apprehended Quickly?
