Robert F. Kennedy was shot on this day in 1968; he died the next day. After the assassination of his brother, President John F. Kennedy, in 1963, Robert became the frontman of the political dynasty’s efforts at holding office. He was seen as a figure of great potential and was nearing a sweep of the Democratic nomination for the presidential race against Richard Nixon.
As he walked out of a hotel on June 5, 1968, Kennedy was approached by Sirhan Sirhan, who was carrying a revolver wrapped in a campaign poster. He got just a foot away from Kennedy before he fired. Sirhan confessed to the crime nearly immediately and is serving a life sentence for the killing; he’s currently 88 years old.
You can learn more about the assassination of Robert F. Kennedy at History.com.
