September 17, 2003 (Wednesday)
- NASA says that capsules similar to those used in the Apollo program are among the options considered as replacements to the Space Shuttle.
- 26-year-old gunman Harold Kilpatrick, Jr. of Dyersburg, Tennessee, takes a classroom of 12–16 students at Dyersburg State Community College hostage. Kilpatrick, who was mentally ill, was shot dead by police after firing a pistol, ending a nine-hour standoff. Two hostages were slightly wounded.[1]
- Richard Grasso, chairman of the New York Stock Exchange, resigns amid criticism of his $140 million compensation package and the fact that the compensation was approved without input from the exchange's board of directors.
- Retired United States Army General Wesley Clark announces that he is seeking the nomination of the Democratic Party for the 2004 presidential election, making him the tenth candidate to enter the race. Howard Dean had earlier expressed hopes that Clark would join him as a vice-presidential running mate.
- The Arab League submits a draft resolution to the annual General Conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency which calls on Israel to sign the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and to open up its nuclear program to inspections by the United Nations. Israel's nuclear weapons program is believed have developed 100 to 200 nuclear warheads, but officially maintains a policy of "nuclear ambiguity" with support from the United States. The move by Arab nations comes in response to a Friday IAEA resolution submitted by Australia, Canada and Japan and lobbied for by the United States which asked Iran for "accelerated cooperation" and set an October 31 deadline for the country to disclose any attempts to acquire nuclear weapons.
- LGBT rights in Canada: The Canadian House of Commons passes a private member's bill brought by NDP MP Svend Robinson, including protection for sexual orientation in the existing law on hate propaganda.
- ^ "Dyersburg State Gazette: Local News: Man who took hostages called troubled (09/18/03)". Dyersburg State Gazette. Retrieved 17 October 2015.