Deadline: A History of Journalists Murdered in the United States

Abstract

ABSTRACT Despite the press freedom enshrined in the First Amendment, at least sixty-four journalists were intentionally killed in the United States between 1829 and 2023 because of their work. The victims included veteran and novice reporters who worked at news outlets in big cities and small towns throughout the country. This study aims to provide an account of those attacks in order to develop a typology to explain the violence against American journalists. The insights give clues for how the risk of violence might be mitigated. The study categorizes fatal attacks on journalists as: violence against individuals, violence against ideas, violence to stop investigations, and violence against institutions.