HISTORY OF VIOLENCE/Extreme Violence

The following are incidents of extreme violence reported to or obtained by NAF.

For complete information on incidents of violence in the U.S. and Canada, see our Violence Statistics. Our Chronological Histories of Violence detail acts of violence against individuals involved in reproductive health care.

Violence Statistics for 2009 DATE STATE/PROVINCE/TERR. TYPE ESTDAMAGE CASE STATUS 5/2009  Kansas  MURDER    Dr. George Tiller was shot and killed in his church in Wichita, Kansas. Anti-abortion extremist Scott Roeder is in custody and charged with first-degree murder and two charges of aggravated assault.  Violence Statistics for 2007 DATE STATE/PROVINCE/TERR. TYPE ESTDAMAGE CASE STATUS 12/2007  New Mexico  ARSON    Chad Altman and Sergio Baca pled guilty to conspiracy to commit arson and are awaiting sentencing.  5/2007  Virginia  ARSON    Remains open  Violence Statistics for 2005 DATE STATE/PROVINCE/TERR. TYPE ESTDAMAGE CASE STATUS 7/2005  Florida  ARSON    Remains open  1/2005  Washington  ARSON  $500,000  Remains open  Violence Statistics for 2004 DATE STATE/PROVINCE/TERR. TYPE ESTDAMAGE CASE STATUS 7/2004  Florida  ARSON    Remain open  1/2004  Florida  ARSON    Remains open  Violence Statistics for 2003 DATE STATE/PROVINCE/TERR. TYPE ESTDAMAGE CASE STATUS 9/2003  Indiana  ARSON  $2,000  Remains open  5/2003  Florida  ARSON    Remains open  1/2003  Illinois  ARSON    Remains open  Violence Statistics for 2002 DATE STATE/PROVINCE/TERR. TYPE ESTDAMAGE CASE STATUS 6/2002  Texas  ARSON    Remains open  Violence Statistics for 2001 DATE STATE/PROVINCE/TERR. TYPE ESTDAMAGE CASE STATUS 6/2001  Washington  ARSON    Remains open  6/2001  Washington  BOMB  $6,000  Remains open  4/2001  Kentucky  ARSON    Remains open  Violence Statistics for 2000 DATE STATE/PROVINCE/TERR. TYPE ESTDAMAGE CASE STATUS 7/2000  Vancouver  STABBING      5/2000  New Hampshire  ARSON  $20,000  Remains open  4/2000  Kentucky  ARSON    Remains open  4/2000  Florida  ARSON  $2-3,000  Remains open  Violence Statistics for 1999 DATE STATE/PROVINCE/TERR. TYPE ESTDAMAGE CASE STATUS 8/1999  New Hampshire  ARSON  Approx. $20,000  Remains open  7/1999  California  ARSON  Minimal damage to the clinic. Approx $100,000 damage to the building housing the clinic.  Benjamin Matthew Williams and James Tyler Williams pled guilty and were sentenced to 21-30 years in jail for this fire and three synagogue arsons.  5/1999  New Mexico  ARSON  $5,000  Ricky Lee McDonald pleaded guilty and was sentenced to five years in jail.  4/1999  Wisconsin  ARSON  $500  Remains open  3/1999  Wisconsin  ARSON  $1,000  Peter Quinn, 17 admitted to this arson. He is being charged in state court as an adult.  3/1999  Wisconsin  ARSON  Minimal  Peter Quinn, 17 admitted to this arson. He is being charged in state court as an adult.  3/1999  South Dakota  ARSON  Minimal  Martin Uphoff was convicted of using explosives during a felony, and vandalism to a facility providing health care services (a FACE charge). Uphoff was sentenced to 60 months for the felony and 6 months for the FACE charge, to be served concurrently.  3/1999  New Mexico  ARSON  $3,000  Ricky Lee McDonald pleaded guilty and was sentenced to five years in jail.  3/1999  North Carolina  BOMB  Minimal  Remains open  Violence Statistics for 1998 DATE STATE/PROVINCE/TERR. TYPE ESTDAMAGE CASE STATUS 10/1998  New York  SHOOTING    Dr. Barnett Slepian was shot and killed in his home in Amherst, New York. James Kopp was convicted of second-degree murder in state court and received the maximum sentence of twenty-five years to life in prison. He was also convicted and sentenced to life on federal charges of violating the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act.  9/1998  North Carolina  ARSON  $200  Remains open  9/1998  North Carolina  ARSON  $17,000  Remains open  9/1998  North Carolina  ARSON  $7,000  Remains open  7/1998  Texas  ACID  Unknown    7/1998  Louisiana  ACID  Unknown    7/1998  Louisiana  ACID  $13,000    7/1998  Louisiana  ACID  Unknown    7/1998  Louisiana  ACID  Unknown    7/1998  Texas  ACID  Unknown    7/1998  Texas  ACID  Unknown    7/1998  Texas  ACID  Unknown    7/1998  Louisiana  ACID  Unknown    5/1998  Florida  ACID  Unknown    5/1998  Florida  ACID  Unknown    5/1998  Florida  ACID  Unknown    5/1998  Florida  ACID  Unknown    5/1998  Florida  ACID  Unknown    5/1998  Florida  ACID  $3,000    5/1998  Florida  ACID  Unknown    5/1998  Florida  ACID  Unknown    5/1998  Florida  ACID  Unknown    5/1998  Florida  ACID  Unknown    3/1998  California  ARSON  $5,000  Remains open  1/1998  Alabama  BOMB  $85,000  Officer Robert Sanderson was killed during a clinic bombing in Birmingham, AL. Emily Lyons, a nurse at the clinic was severely injured in the blast. Eric Robert Rudolph pled guilty and is serving a life sentence for the bombings at Olympic Park, a gay bar, and two abortion clinics including the Birmingham clinic.  Violence Statistics for 1997 DATE STATE/PROVINCE/TERR. TYPE ESTDAMAGE CASE STATUS 12/1997  New York  ARSON  Minimal  Remains open  11/1997  Manitoba  SHOOTING    Dr. Jack Fainman was shot and injured in his home in Winnipeg, Manitoba. James Kopp is a suspect in the shooting.  10/1997  New York  SHOOTING    An unnamed physician was shot at in his home in Rochester, New York. James Kopp is a suspect in the shooting.  10/1997  Oregon  ARSON  $5,000  Remains open  8/1997  Alabama  ARSON  $250,000  Remains open  5/1997  Washington  ARSON  $1,500  Remains open  5/1997  Oregon  ARSON  $400,000  Remains open  3/1997  California  BOMB  $1,000  Container of flammable liquid thrown through the window.   3/1997  Iowa  BOMB  Unknown  Remains open  3/1997  Montana  BOMB  $2,000  JohnYankowski apprehended at clinic; convicted and sentenced to 5 years in prison.  3/1997  North Carolina  BOMB  $50,000  Remains open  3/1997  California  ARSON  Unknown  Peter Howard, a local activist, put 13 gas cans and 3 propane tanks in his truck and drove it thru the clinic door. He was caught on the scene, pled guilty and was sentenced to 15 yrs in prison and fined $16, 320.87 for damages and restitution.  2/1997  Virginia  ARSON  $25,000  James Anthony Mitchell of VA pleaded guilty and was sentenced to ten years in jail in September 1997.  1/1997  Oklahoma  ARSON  $7,000  A juvenile was convicted in this and other arsons and bombings. Name sealed due to age.  1/1997  Oklahoma  BOMB  $2,500  A juvenile was convicted in this and other arsons and bombings. Name sealed due to age.  1/1997  Georgia  BOMB  $90,000+  2 explosions. Eric Robert Rudolph is serving a life sentence for the bombings at Olympic Park, a gay bar, and two abortion clinics including the Georgia clinic.

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