April 7
2017
2017 Stockholm Truck Attack
On April 7, 2017, a hijacked truck was deliberately driven down a busy pedestrian street in central Stockholm, resulting in the deaths of five people and injuring many others. The attacker, a rejected asylum seeker from Uzbekistan, was captured hours later. The attack shocked Sweden, leading to stricter security and immigration policies, and remains one of the country’s deadliest acts of terror. Read more
1994
The Rwandan Genocide Begins
On April 7, 1994, following the assassination of Rwandan President Juvénal Habyarimana, systematic mass killings erupted in Kigali and quickly spread across Rwanda, marking the start of one of the twentieth century’s most devastating genocides. Over the next 100 days, as the world looked on, more than half a million Tutsi and moderate Hutu were murdered. This narrative retraces the first harrowing hours—and the history that set them in motion—through the eyes of those who witnessed a nation descend into horror. Read more
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Explore more events in April
Apr 13
Apollo 13 Mission Crisis
The Apollo 13 Mission Crisis was a life-threatening emergency during NASA's third manned lunar landing attempt, triggered by an explosion in an oxygen tank. Though the lunar landing was aborted, the crew survived after a dramatic effort by both astronauts and ground control, turning near disaster into a triumph of ingenuity and teamwork.
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Apr 10
The Sinking of USS Thresher (SSN-593)
On April 10, 1963, the U.S. Navy nuclear submarine USS Thresher was lost with all hands during deep-diving tests off Cape Cod, triggering the deadliest submarine disaster in American history and transforming naval safety protocols for generations.
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Apr 16
The Virginia Tech Shooting
On April 16, 2007, Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia, became the scene of one of the deadliest school shootings in U.S. history when senior student Seung-Hui Cho killed 32 people and injured 17 others before taking his own life.
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