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 (he took a bullet to the chest), Clifford Davis (shot in the leg), Ben F. Jensen (shot in the back), George Fallon and Kenneth A. Roberts.

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.

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