List of journalists killed in the United States


Numerous journalists have been murdered or killed in the United States while reporting, covering a military conflict, or because of their status as a journalist. At least 39 of these have been directly targeted as a result of their journalistic investigations. The most recent journalists killed in the United States were four reporters for The Capital in Annapolis, Maryland, who were killed on June 28, 2018 in a mass shooting at the newspaper's office.
The most dangerous sector of the US media after 1980 has been the race and ethnic press. According to the Committee to Protect Journalists, ten journalists serving the Vietnamese, Haitian and Chinese immigrant communities were killed in political assassinations between 1980 and 1993. Chauncey Bailey, who was the editor at a large circulation African American newspaper, was murdered in 2007 for his investigative reporting.
Since the September 11 attacks, terrorism-related deaths involving journalists is another trend.
In some cases, journalists have been attacked but survived, such as Victor Riesel.

List

DateNameEmployerLocationNotes
Elijah Parish LovejoyAlton ObserverAlton, IllinoisThis abolition editor was killed by a mob supporting slavery in the Union.
James HaganVicksburg SentinelVicksburg, MississippiHagan was killed in a duel by Daniel Weisiger Adams-the son of a man he had criticized in his newspaper.
James A. RyanVicksburg SentinelVicksburg, MississippiThe Vicksburg Sentinel was a Democratic paper and Ryan was killed by his rival Whig counterpart in a duel on their second fight.
John JenkinsVicksburg SentinelVicksburg, MississippiKilled in a fight with an attorney after the two had a previous altercation.
Joseph MansfieldSan Joaquin RepublicanStockton, CaliforniaMansfield was killed in a fight with a rival editor, both of whom were Democrats.
James King of WilliamDaily Evening BulletinSan Francisco, California
Irving W. CarsonNew-York TribunePittsburg Landing, TennesseeFirst journalist to be killed during the U.S. Civil War. Killed by a cannonball fire while covering the Battle of Shiloh and General Ulysses S. Grant.
Lynde Walter BuckinghamNew York HeraldAldie, VirginiaKilled as a result of an ambush during the U.S. Civil War. He was buried at the Mount Zion Old School Baptist Church-VDHR 53-339 in Aldie.
James O'NealFrank Leslie's Illustrated NewspaperBaxter Springs, KansasO'Neal was an artist-correspondent murdered by Quantrill's guerrillas at the Baxter Springs Massacre.
Samuel Fiske Springfield RepublicanFredericksburg, VirginiaCapt. Fiske wrote under the name Dunn Browne and served in the army and was mortally wounded at the Battle of the Wilderness.
Ridgeway GloverFrank Leslie's Illustrated NewspaperFort Phil Kearny, WyomingWhile covering the American Indian Wars, Glover was killed and mutilated during the construction of Fort Kearny in 1866.
Frederick Wadsworth LoringAppleton's JournalWickenburg, ArizonaWas killed while on assignment out west in what is known as the Wickenburg Massacre, an attack on a stagecoach by Native Americans.
Mark KelloggAssociated PressLittle Bighorn Battlefield, MontanaThe first Associated Press journalist to die while reporting.
J. Clarke SwayzeTopeka Daily BladeTopeka, KansasSwayze was killed after publishing a critical article about his murderer.
Charles de YoungThe Daily Dramatic ChronicleSan Francisco, CaliforniaWith his brother M. H. de Young, he founded the newspaper that would become the San Francisco Chronicle. The mayor's son killed him in revenge for a feud de Young had with his father.
A. B. ThorntonBoonville NewsBoonville, MissouriThe town marshal killed Thornton because of criticism from the newspaper and won acquittal based on the perception that the criticism was too intense.
Charles L. KuszThe Gringo and GreaserManzano, New MexicoShot through his window by unknown gunman on horses. His newspaper was reform oriented and created enemies as it sought changes.
Roderick D. GambrellThe Shield and SwordJackson, MississippiShot by Colonel Jones S. Hamilton for publishing allegations of corrupt business practices Hamilton was engaged in with the state of Mississippi. Hamilton was shot by Gambrell, but survived and was later acquitted of his murder by a jury.
John H. MartinNew MississippianJackson, MississippiShot in a street encounter with ex-Confederate General Wirt Adams, who was also shot and killed by Martin. Martin published numerous attacks on Adams's character in part due to his association with Colonel Hamilton, killer of the aforementioned Roderick D. Gambrell. Wirt Adams was the brother of Daniel Weisiger Adams who 45 years before had killed a Vicksberg newspaper editor in a duel
Ignacio MartínezEl MundoLaredo, TexasOwned a newspaper that wrote critical articles on the regime of Mexican President Porfirio Díaz. His murderers fled to Mexico and were never arrested.
Albert C. OsborneSunday WorldColumbus, OhioKilled in a shootout with William J. Elliott, a rival editor of the Sunday Capital, and Elliott's brother, Patrick. A bystander was also killed and a number of others wounded. Elliott was convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced to life imprisonment at Ohio Penitentiary.
William Cowper BrannIconoclastWaco, TexasWrote critical articles about Baptists. Shot in the back during a duel.
Narciso Gener GonzalesThe StateColumbia, South CarolinaHe was killed by James H. Tillman, the Lieutenant Governor of South Carolina, who was acquitted of murder by a jury.
Edward W. CarmackNashville AmericanNashville, TennesseeFormer congressman and senator. He was killed by a former army officer who disapproved of his name appearing in an article and threatened the editor.
Huang YuanyongShao Nian Zhong Guo WeeklySan Francisco, CaliforniaThe Chinese national was murdered while visiting the United States. The case remained unsolved but Kuomintang supporters were suspected of carrying out the assassination at the Shanghai Low restaurant.
Don MellettCanton Daily NewsCanton, OhioShot to death in his garage as a result of a conspiracy with a crime boss and the police chief of Canton.
Jake LingleChicago TribuneChicago, IllinoisKilled in gangland-style by associates of Al Capone. In addition to his job as a reporter, Lingle was on the payroll of Capone's criminal organization.
Jerry BuckleyWMBC-AMDetroit, MichiganGunned down on election night.
Howard GuilfordThe Saturday PressMinneapolis, MinnesotaEditor of a newspaper that exposed corruption and organized crime. He and partner Jay Near won the US Supreme Court decision in Near v. Minnesota.
Walter LiggettMidwest AmericanMinneapolis, MinnesotaHe wrote about political corruption and organized crime.
Carlo TrescaIl Martello New York City, New YorkRadical socialist newspaper editor and labor activist; believed to have been killed by a Mafia hitman.
Arthur KashermanPublic Press Minneapolis, MinnesotaHis death figured into Hubert Humphrey's mayoral victory.
W.H. "Bill" MasonKBKI Alice, TexasKnown as a crusading radio journalist in a county ruled with an iron hand by local law enforcement, Mason was shot dead by Sheriff deputy Sam Smithwick, who Mason had publicly accused of running a strip club. The senate candidate who lost to Lyndon B. Johnson believed that Smithwick had information about how the election had been rigged but Smithwick was hanged before their meeting. Mason's tombstone reads: "He had the nerve to tell the truth for a lot of little people."
Paul GuihardAgence France-PresseOxford, MississippiGuihard was a British-French citizen who was killed during the civil rights era at the University of Mississippi. He was assigned to photograph the events surrounding James Meredith's attendance when he turned his focus on riots and in the confusion was shot. His murder remains an unsolved case.
Rubén SalazarLos Angeles TimesLos Angeles, CaliforniaSalazar was killed by deputies of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department while covering the Chicano Moratorium protest in East Los Angeles. The park where the protest took place was later renamed Salazar Park in his honor.
Don BollesArizona RepublicPhoenix, ArizonaMurdered by a car bomb. Initially assumed to have been a mafia hit, three local men were later convicted of his death. The motive was determined to have been feared exposure of involvement in a land fraud scheme.
Maurice WilliamsWHUR-FMWashington, D.C.He was murdered during the 1977 Hanafi Siege.
John A. KellyWHDH-TVBoston, MassachusettsKilled during the Blackfriars Massacre.
Duong Trong LamCai Dinh Lang San Francisco, CaliforniaKilled by gunfire from a member of one of two anti-communist groups that claimed responsibility for his assassination.
Nguyen Dam PhongTu Do Houston, TexasWas assassinated at his home by an anti-communist group.
Alan BergKOA Denver, ColoradoA liberal radio show host who was murdered by a white nationalist group.
Henry Liu Freelancer and authorDaly City, CaliforniaA critic of the Kuomintang who was assassinated on the orders of the Kuomintang.
Tap Van Pham MaiGarden Grove, CaliforniaHe was assassinated by arson while sleeping in his office by an anti-communist group that took responsibility.
Nhan Trong DoVan Nghe Tien PhongFairfax County, VirginiaA layout designer who worked with Triet Le, he was the first employer of the Vietnamese-language magazine to be assassinated.
Triet LeVan Nghe Tien PhongBailey's Crossroads, VirginiaA columnist of controversial content for the same Vietnamese magazine that employed Nhan Trong Do. Assassinated.
Jean-Claude OlivierWLQY-AM Little Haiti, Miami, FloridaA colleague of D'Or, he was known for his controversial commentary and was assassinated on his way to his car.
Fritz D'OrWLQY-AM Little Haiti, Miami, FloridaA colleague of Olivier's at WLQY, he was assassinated as he left a club.
Manuel de Dios UnanueEl Diario La PrensaQueens, New York City, New YorkMurdered by Colombian drug traffickers for writing about drug trade.
Dona St. PliteWKATLittle Haiti, Miami, FloridaSt. Plite was attending a benefit for former colleague Fritz Dor when he was also assassinated for supporting Jean-Bertrand Aristide.
James Edwin RichardsCitizen journalist, editor and publisherVenice, Los Angeles, CaliforniaRichards was murdered at his Oakwood neighborhood home in the neighborhood where he had established himself as a citizen crime reporter.
Bill BiggartFreelance photographerLower Manhattan, New York City, New YorkKilled while photographing the rescue effort outside the World Trade Center before the tower collapsed.
Robert StevensSunBoca Raton, FloridaMurdered as one of the media targets of the 2001 anthrax attacks less than a month after 9/11.
Chauncey BaileyThe Oakland PostOakland, CaliforniaAfter investigating corruption in his community, Bailey was murdered on his way to work by the target of his reporting.
Alison ParkerWDBJ 7Moneta, VirginiaParker, a reporter, and Ward, a photojournalist, were shot on live television by one-time colleague Vester Flanagan while interviewing a subject about tourism.
Adam WardWDBJ 7Moneta, VirginiaParker, a reporter, and Ward, a photojournalist, were shot on live television by one-time colleague Vester Flanagan while interviewing a subject about tourism.
Gerald FischmanThe CapitalAnnapolis, MarylandThe five employees of The Capital were murdered during the Capital Gazette shooting in the newspaper's office. The suspect in the shooting, Jarrod Ramos, had held a grudge against the newspaper since it published a story about his guilty plea in a criminal harassment case in 2011. Hiassen was an editor and columnist, Fischman was an editorial columnist, Winters was a features journalist. McNamara was a sports reporter for the Capital and the editor for the affiliated weekly Bowie Blade-News. Also killed in the shooting was Rebecca Smith, a sales associate for Capital Gazette Communications.
Rob HiaasenThe CapitalAnnapolis, MarylandThe five employees of The Capital were murdered during the Capital Gazette shooting in the newspaper's office. The suspect in the shooting, Jarrod Ramos, had held a grudge against the newspaper since it published a story about his guilty plea in a criminal harassment case in 2011. Hiassen was an editor and columnist, Fischman was an editorial columnist, Winters was a features journalist. McNamara was a sports reporter for the Capital and the editor for the affiliated weekly Bowie Blade-News. Also killed in the shooting was Rebecca Smith, a sales associate for Capital Gazette Communications.
John McNamaraThe CapitalAnnapolis, MarylandThe five employees of The Capital were murdered during the Capital Gazette shooting in the newspaper's office. The suspect in the shooting, Jarrod Ramos, had held a grudge against the newspaper since it published a story about his guilty plea in a criminal harassment case in 2011. Hiassen was an editor and columnist, Fischman was an editorial columnist, Winters was a features journalist. McNamara was a sports reporter for the Capital and the editor for the affiliated weekly Bowie Blade-News. Also killed in the shooting was Rebecca Smith, a sales associate for Capital Gazette Communications.
Wendi WintersThe CapitalAnnapolis, MarylandThe five employees of The Capital were murdered during the Capital Gazette shooting in the newspaper's office. The suspect in the shooting, Jarrod Ramos, had held a grudge against the newspaper since it published a story about his guilty plea in a criminal harassment case in 2011. Hiassen was an editor and columnist, Fischman was an editorial columnist, Winters was a features journalist. McNamara was a sports reporter for the Capital and the editor for the affiliated weekly Bowie Blade-News. Also killed in the shooting was Rebecca Smith, a sales associate for Capital Gazette Communications.
----The five employees of The Capital were murdered during the Capital Gazette shooting in the newspaper's office. The suspect in the shooting, Jarrod Ramos, had held a grudge against the newspaper since it published a story about his guilty plea in a criminal harassment case in 2011. Hiassen was an editor and columnist, Fischman was an editorial columnist, Winters was a features journalist. McNamara was a sports reporter for the Capital and the editor for the affiliated weekly Bowie Blade-News. Also killed in the shooting was Rebecca Smith, a sales associate for Capital Gazette Communications.

Other journalists and media workers killed on 9/11

The only professional, working journalist to die while covering the September 11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City was photojournalist Bill Biggart, who was killed by falling debris as he was taking photographs. However, the International Federation of Journalists, which also counts media workers, said that six other media workers and a journalist who were not working at the time died in the attacks. Among those media workers listed as killed were six broadcast TV engineers, who worked inside a tower, and another professional photojournalist, who was a passenger on the first plane that was flown into the WTC.