Canada's Parliament Hill in Ottawa is attacked by a lone gunman, resulting in the death of a soldier and the attacker.
Browse Historical Events by Month:
What Happened in October?
Explorations, great battles, and crowned leaders. Discover meaningful events and milestones from October throughout history. Dates for earlier events may be approximate.
Note: Sources for the historical content shown, include research and reviews of relevant Online History Resources or printed material. When possible, we show a link to a source which provides additional or unique perspective about the event.
We do our best to provide accurate information but would appreciate being notified if any incorrect information is found. You may do so by using our Feedback link.
A mass shooting takes place at Umpqua Community College in Oregon, USA, leaving multiple people dead and injured.
The Nobel Peace Prize for 2015 is awarded to National Dialogue Quartet "for its decisive contribution to the building of a pluralistic democracy in Tunisia in the wake of the Jasmine Revolution of 2011." View all Nobel Peace Prizes
Russia’s Metrojet Flight 9268 crashed minutes after takeoff from the Egyptian resort Sharm el-Sheikh to the Russian city of St. Petersburg, after an explosion brought the plane down over the Sinai Peninsula, killing all 224 people on board. ISIS claimed responsibility for the downing of the Russian airliner claiming it was done in retaliation for Russia’s airstrikes in Syria.
Hurricane Matthew, one of the most powerful Atlantic hurricanes in recent history, strikes the Caribbean making landfall in western Haiti on October 4, 2016, as a Category 4 and proceeds to the southeastern United States.
A mass shooting occurs at the Route 91 Harvest music festival in Las Vegas, USA, leaving 58 people dead and hundreds injured.
Journalist Jamal Khashoggi is murdered inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Turkey.
Lion Air Flight 610 crashes into the Java Sea shortly after takeoff from Jakarta, Indonesia, killing all 189 people on board.
The United States announces its withdrawal from Northern Syria, leading to concerns about the situation in the region. Shortly thereafter, Turkey launched an operation into northern Syria to clear Kurdish forces from its southern border. More
Turkey launches a military offensive into northern Syria against Kurdish forces.
Protests erupt in Nigeria against police brutality and the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), leading to widespread demonstrations.
A powerful earthquake strikes the Aegean Sea, causing significant damage and loss of life in Turkey and Greece.
%20-%20Simulation%20-%20PD.jpg?auto=format,compress&fit=clip&max-w=1600)
NASA's Lucy spacecraft launches on a 12-year journey to study the Trojan asteroids, a population of primitive asteroids orbiting in tandem with Jupiter, marking a significant step in asteroid research. More