Today is Saturday, January 30th, 2021.

On this day in 1835, President Andrew Jackson narrowly evaded an assassination attempt,

becoming the first American president to experience an attack on his life while in office.

Welcome to Today in True Crime, a Spotify original from Parkast. Today we're covering the attempted murder of President Andrew Jackson.

During the attack, Jackson was shot at with two separate guns and still somehow

escaped unscathed.

It was a misty Friday in Washington, D.C.C. as a party of mourners gathered just outside the U.S. Capitol.

They were there to attend the funeral of the late South Carolina representative, Warren R. Davis.

Among them was 67-year-old Andrew Jackson, who was serving his second term as president of the United States.

Throughout his years in office, Jackson earned the reputation of being quick-tempered, strong-willed, and tough.

His status as a war hero and general cynicism about big government may have solidified this perception. Regardless, he wasn't one to be challenged, even in his old age.

But at the funeral of a U.S. representative, Jackson didn't expect to put his intimidating persona to use.

Instead, he walked rather stoically among the grieving, supported by a cane.

Once inside the house chamber of the Capitol building, he sat for a sharing of ceremonious

words. Seated amongst the crowd, he could have been mistaken for a commoner, but Jackson's

white mop of hair and wrinkled face were unmistakable. It was all too easy for unemployed house painter Richard Lawrence to spot him as the president

proceeded towards the capitals East Portico with fellow mourners.

While Jackson was jostling through the slow-moving crowd, Lawrence pulled a Derringer single-shot

pistol from his jacket and aimed it directly at the president.

He pulled the trigger, the hammer fell and the cap exploded.

Yet somehow, no bullet was fired, and that moment of confusion was all the president needed.

Gob-smacked, Jackson charged at his unexpected assailant with his cane.

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