Jared Lee Loughner Joins the History Books with the Likes of Lee Harvey Oswald

Jared Lee Loughner, 22, was charged with five federal counts for the shooting rampage in Tucson, Ariz., that left six dead, including 63-year-old federal district court judge John McCarthy Roll and 9-year-old Christina Taylor Green, as reported in The New York Times. Evidence seized from Loughner's address indicates the Pima Community College dropout had intended on assassinating Arizona Democratic Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, who was critically injured in the attack. A total of 14 people were wounded.

The troubled and antisocial Loughner, who often wore a hoodie even in the hot Tucson temperatures, as reported at Newsweek, exhibited other strange behaviors, such as in his classes and with his ramblings on YouTube videos. The anti-U.S. government Loughner joins the list of shooters who have attempted and often succeeded in taking out their political targets.

Nathuram Godse. Mahatma Gandhi is known as India's "Father of the Nation." Inspired by Henry David Thoreau's "Civil Disobedience," Gandhi advocated nonviolence. He worked toward Indian rights and was one of the chief inspirations for the end of British rule in India in 1947. Gandhi, at the age of 78, was assassinated on Jan. 30, 1948, by fellow Hindu Godse, who felt Gandhi had betrayed Hindus.

Lee Harvey Oswald. The 35th President of the United States, John F. Kennedy, is noted for such words as, "Ask not what your country can do for you -- ask what you can do for your country." An advocate for human rights and world peace, with such events as the Cuban Missile Crisis and his views on civil rights, Kennedy was assassinated on Nov. 22, 1963, at the age of 46, by Oswald.

John Hinckley, Jr. John Hinckley Jr.'s assassination attempt on the life of Ronald Reagan, originally planned for Jimmy Carter, was not politically motivated. However, the attempt to impress Jodie Foster was a significant event in U.S. history. The 40th president recovered successfully from the assassination attempt and dealt with it with self-effacing humor. "Honey, I forgot to duck," said Reagan. His press secretary, James Brady, who was also shot on March 30, 1981, was partially paralyzed for life.

Jared Lee Loughner faces the consequences of five federal counts. Does the shooting spree, which killed six people, also qualify as an assassination attempt? It is without a doubt that the unfortunate event in Tucson takes a place in the history books as one of the most serious attempts to end the life of a political figure.

Sources:

Marc Lacey, Evidence Points to Methodical Planning, The New York Times

Jared Lee Loughner's Mental State, Newsweek

The life and death of Mahatma Gandhi, BBC News

John F. Kennedy , White House

March 30, 1981, Ronald Reagan

Jim Brady, Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence

9-year-old shooting victim was aspiring politician, Yahoo News

John Roll, Judgepedia