No one knows who fired the first shot at Lexington

Who fired the opening shot at Lexington is one of the biggest unsolved questions of April 19, 1775. Both sides claimed the other side opened fire first, blaming their adversary for the carnage that followed.

Everyone that was questioned following the April 19th incidents seems to have different responses to this question. It is clear that everyone's perception of the events was distorted by confusion and turmoil. Evidence suggests that either one of the soldiers on the Lexington green pulled the trigger quickly or that a bystander shot from behind a stone wall close to Buckman's Tavern. No one knows who fired the first shot at Lexington, but it was a spark that lit a world war.