Violet Gibson
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| Violet Gibson | |
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| Born | 1876 |
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| Died | May 2, 1956 |
Violet Albina Gibson (1876 - May 2, 1956) the daughter of Edward Gibson, 1st Baron Ashbourne, is best known for shooting Benito Mussolini.
On 7 April 1926 Violet Gibson shot Mussolini, Italy's Fascist leader, while he sat in a car after leaving an assembly of physicians, to whom he had delivered a speech on the wonders of modern medicine[1]. Gibson shot at Mussolini from close range and the bullet hit Mussolini's nose. Gibson was almost lynched on the spot by an angry mob, but police intervened and took her off for questioning. Mussolini was wounded only slightly and after his nose was bandaged he continued his parade.
At the time of the assassination attempt Violet Gibson was 50 years old and did not explain her reason for trying to assassinate Mussolini. It has been theorised that Gibson was insane at the time of the attack and the idea of assassinating Mussolini was given to her by an unknown third party[citation needed]. Gibson was later deported[citation needed] to Britain after being released without charge at the request of Mussolini. She spent the last 30 years of her life in an upscale mental asylum near Nottingham, England. [2]
[edit] Notes and References
- ^ Mussolini Trionfante TIME Magazine 19 April 1926
- ^ BBC - Radio 4 - Mussolini's nose
