Bio

Griselio Torresola was born in 1925 in Jayuya, Puerto Rico. He came from a family that strongly supported Puerto Rican independence. His family had been involved in various uprisings on the island. Torresola moved to New York City in August 1948 in search of better opportunities.

In New York, he found work in a stationery and perfume store. His life took a difficult turn when he went through a divorce from his first wife, which had a significant emotional impact on him. As a result, he lost his job. Later, he remarried and was raising one of his two children while receiving welfare assistance of $125 a month.

Torresola became involved with the Puerto Rican Nationalist Party. This party opposed U.S. rule over Puerto Rico and called for the island's independence. At the time, the party was led by a prominent figure named Pedro Albizu Campos, for whom Torresola served as a bodyguard. The Nationalist Party had rejected participation through voting and pushed for more aggressive methods to achieve their goals.

Torresola was not alone in his beliefs. He partnered with fellow Nationalist Oscar Collazo, and together they planned an act to draw attention to their cause. They were influenced by events such as the Ponce Massacre and the arrest of Albizu Campos, which heightened their anger about perceived injustices.

On October 30, 1950, two days before their assassination attempt, his brother and sister took part in the failed Jayuya Uprising, another effort for Puerto Rican independence. These experiences and connections shaped Torresola's life and led him toward a dramatic and violent path.

Murder Story

On November 1, 1950, Griselio Torresola and Oscar Collazo attempted to assassinate President Harry Truman. They arrived in Washington, D.C., the day before and planned to attack while Truman was staying at the Blair House. Torresola approached the house from one side while Collazo created a distraction from the other side.

Torresola targeted a guard booth where White House Policeman Private Leslie Coffelt was stationed. He fired four shots from a 9 mm German Luger at Coffelt. Three of these shots hit Coffelt in the chest and abdomen, leaving him mortally wounded. After shooting Coffelt, Torresola turned and shot at another officer, Joseph Downs, hitting him multiple times as he tried to escape.

Next, Torresola shot another policeman, Donald Birdzell, in the knee from about 40 feet away. As the chaos continued, Torresola stopped to reload. During this moment, Coffelt, who was badly wounded, managed to aim his revolver at Torresola and fired back. He struck Torresola in the head with a single bullet, killing him instantly.

Torresola died at the scene, while Coffelt succumbed to his injuries later that day. Collazo was also wounded but survived and was later captured. The gunfight itself lasted about 20 seconds. Collazo was sentenced to death, but this was later commuted to life in prison by President Truman.