Year-ender 2024: Trump assassination attempt to Brian Thompson murder, 10 events that rocked US

10 events that rocked the US in 2024

1. The presidential election: Several major political events led up to the presidential election, held on November 5, 2024. Trump and his running mate JD Vance beat Kamala Harris and Tim Walz days after Joe Biden dropped out of the race. Trump won every swing state and also held on to all of the states that he won in 2020. He beat all odds to win the election despite his legal woes and being the first US president in history to get a mugshot taken.
2. Assassination attempts on Donald Trump: Trump survived two assassination attempts in 2024, the first one at his rally in Butler, Pennsylvania on July 13. Thomas Matthew Crooks opened fire and injured Trump before Secret Service snipers managed to kill him. Trump survived a second assassination attempt when Ryan Wesley Routh tried to kill him at his Florida golf course on September 15, before being arrested.
3. Major hurricanes: Two major hurricanes that shook the US were Helene and Milton. Hurricane Helene caused widespread destruction and deaths across the Southeastern United States in late September 2024. Hurricane Milton made landfall in Florida less than two weeks after Helene wreaked havoc. Milton, too, caused fatalities and widespread destruction in Florida and Mexico, in addition to causing power damages and flooding.
4. The Jeffrey Epstein list: Several documents linked to sex offender Epstein were released in January, which named various people including sex abuse victims, litigation witnesses, Epstein’s employees, and people with just a passing connection to the scandal. Hundreds of pages of documents from a lawsuit connected to Epstein were publicly disclosed, and had big names like Prince Andrew, Bill Clinton, and Michael Jackson.
5. Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ arrest: Diddy’s properties were raided by federal agents amid sex trafficking allegations against the rapper. Later in September, he was booked on federal charges including sex trafficking and racketeering. Diddy was accused of holding “freak off” parties where would force women to engage in sexual acts with male sex workers. He was also accused of giving the women illegal drugs, and recording videos which he could later use for blackmail.
6. The murder of Laken Riley: While various murders were reported across the US in 2024, the brutal slaying of Georgia nursing student Laken Riley deserves a special mention as it renewed intense conversations around border safety. Riley was attacked and killed by Jose Antonio Ibarra, an illegal immigrant, while she was out running on the campus of University of Georgia on February 22. Fingers were pointed at President Biden and his immigration policies, with Trump saying shortly after visiting the slain student’s family, “Biden has implemented a formal policy that illegal aliens who intrude into the United States are granted immunity from deportation. Thus, when this monster showed up at our border, he was set free immediately under the program. That crooked Joe created it.”
7. Baltimore bridge collapse: On March 26, a huge cargo ship called Dali collided with Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge, resulting in the massive 1.6-mile structure crumbling into the river. While six members of a maintenance crew working on the roadway died as a result of the tragedy, two were rescued from the river. Maryland officials have reportedly said they plan to replace the bridge by fall 2028.
8. The death of Aaron Bushnell: US Air Force member Aaron Bushnell set himself on fire outside the Israeli Embassy in Washington, DC, on February 26. He later succumbed to his injuries. The 25-year-old live streamed the video of the incident on Twitch, showing him walking up to the Israeli embassy and pouring a liquid on himself before setting himself ablaze, repeatedly shouting “Free Palestine.”
9. School shootings: Several mass shootings were reported across the US this year, including the Apalachee High School shooting in September and Abundant Life Christian School shooting in December. The Apalachee shooter was identified as Colt Gray, a 14-year-old student of the school who gunned down two teachers and two students. The school is located in Winder, which is about an hour outside of Atlanta. Gray remains behind bars. The shooting at Abundant Life Christian School in Madison, Wisconsin, was carried out by Natalie ‘Samantha’ Rupnow, the 15-year-old student of the school. She killed herself after gunning down a teen pupil and a teacher, and injuring many others.
10. The murder of Brian Thompson: The US was shaken after UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was allegedly gunned down by 26-year-old Ivy League graduate Luigi Mangione on December 4. Mangione was arrested following a manhunt after he shot Thompson dead on a sidewalk in Midtown. Several people disturbingly celebrated Thompson’s death after Mangione’s arrest, after a document revealed the suspect may have been upset with the US’ healthcare system. He has pleaded not guilty to all of his charges.