RNC to Unite in Milwaukee, Where Roosevelt Escaped Assassination A Century Ago

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As the Republican National Convention (RNC) prepares to converge on Milwaukee’s Hyatt Regency Hotel next week, it is set to do so mere blocks away from a piece of American history – the spot where President Teddy Roosevelt narrowly escaped assassination in 1912.

It was outside the now-defunct Gilpatrick Hotel, now occupied by the Hyatt Regency, that Roosevelt’s life was put in peril when saloon owner John F. Schrank took aim at the progressive candidate.

MILWAUKEE, WI, UNITED STATES – 1912: John F. Schrank, a New York saloon keeper who attempted to assassinate U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt on October 14, 1912 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Harlingue/Roger Viollet via Getty Images)

Although there was no underlying political motive to the attack, Schrank’s mental health issues played a crucial role in his actions. Miraculously, Roosevelt survived when the bullet was halted in its tracks by papers he had in his breast pocket. He steadfastly chose to complete his speech before seeking medical attention.

MILWAUKEE, WI, UNITED STATES – 1912: Gun used by John F. Schrank in his assassination attempt on U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt, on October 14, 1912 in Milwaukee, WI. (Photo by Harlingue/Roger Viollet via Getty Images)

The RNC is set to take place just two days after another high-profile assassination attempt – the one against former President Donald Trump in Pennsylvania. Fortunately, Trump’s assailant only managed to graze his right ear with a single bullet.