United States House of Representatives: History, Art, & Archives
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Shooting in the House Chamber

Shooting in the House Chamber/tiles/collection/6/6319.xml
Shooting in the House Chamber/tiles/collection/2/28563.xml
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Date

1954-03-01

Maker

Associated Press Wirephoto

Dimensions

8 1/8 x 10 in. (20.6 x 25.4 cm)

Accession Number

2007.355.000

Credit Line

Collection of the U.S. House of Representatives

Object Details

Detectives scour the Chamber looking for spent bullets and other evidence after four Puerto Rican nationalists opened fire from the gallery onto the House Floor on March 1, 1954. Armed with handguns, the dissidents—advocating for independence for their homeland—wounded five Members: Alvin Bentley, Ben Jensen, Clifford Davis, George Fallon, and Kenneth Roberts. All five survived the attack, although Bentley was critically wounded.

Rights and Reproduction Information

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House Chamber Seat Back
Shooting in the House Chamber
Shooting in the House Chamber

View Related Oral History

Account of the Shooting

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View details

Joe Bartlett shares his memories of the shooting on the House Floor.

Joe Bartlett, Clerk to the Minority, U.S. House of Representatives
Interview recorded October 12, 2006 – Deed of Gift
Transcript (PDF)
Office of the Historian: history@mail.house.gov
Office of Art & Archives, Office of the Clerk: art@mail.house.gov, archives@mail.house.gov