On April 4, 1866, the Kostroma peasant Osip Komissarov, who worked as a hat maker in St. Petersburg, celebrated his name day. In honor of this event, the owner of the hat shop gave him a day off, and he, in good spirits, went for a walk around the city. In the Summer Garden, he noticed a crowd gathered to see Alexander II. As the emperor approached his carriage, a young man appeared next to Komissarov, who suddenly pulled out a pistol and aimed at the tsar. Osip Ivanovich instinctively struck his hand, and the bullet went into the air.

The police detained the assailant, who turned out to be the Saratov nobleman Dmitry Karakozov. Along with him, Komissarov was taken to the station, but it was unclear whether as a suspect or a witness. Soon, Komissarov's feat became known throughout the capital. Alexander II invited him to the Winter Palace, awarded him the Order of St. Vladimir of the 4th degree, and elevated him to nobility.

After that, the former hat maker was showered with honors: Moscow nobles gifted him a golden sword, an English club made him an honorary member, he became an honorary citizen of St. Petersburg, Nikolai Nekrasov dedicated a poem to him, and a landowner gifted him 780 desyatinas of land.

However, in high society, Komissarov felt uncomfortable, did not know how to behave among the nobles, and was unaccustomed to pompous speeches. General Totleben tried to help him, which led to Komissarov being assigned to the Pavlograd Life Guards Hussar Regiment. But even there he did not find his place, becoming known only for his fondness for alcohol.

Ultimately, after retiring, Osip Ivanovich settled in his estate and took up beekeeping. He died in 1892, forgotten and abandoned. There were rumors that the cause of death was delirium tremens and that he committed suicide during another episode.