March 30, 1981
On that day in Washington DC John Hinckley Jr shot, and wounded President Ronald Reagan. Why did he do it? What led up to it and what happened after?
Erotomania
For the purposes of this historical discussion, we have to start with erotomania—a recognized condition in which an individual is under the delusion that another individual is infatuated with them.
Taxi Driver
Another important part of this story is Martin Scorsese's 1976 film, Taxi Driver, starring Robert De Niro and, most importantly, a young Jodi Foster. For those who may not have seen the film, De Niro plays Travis Bickle, a taxi driver loner who becomes obsessed with saving Iris Steensma, a 12-year-old street worker played by Jodi Foster. But why is this film such an important part of the story?
Taxi Driver
Because John Hinckley Jr was obsessed with this film. He saw it multiple times, connecting strongly to the Bickle character and developing an obsession with Jodi Foster—an obsession that went beyond what you might have ever imagined.
Yale University
In 1980, after reading an article in People magazine about how Foster (now a teenager) was taking classes at Yale University, Hinckley actually enrolled in a writing course at the institution just to be near her. But being near her wasn't enough.
Write And Call
Not only did her write her lots of letters and leave her notes, Hinckley even called Foster on a couple occasions in late 1980. She told him she wasn't interested, but that didn't stop him.
Alan Light, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Gonna Be Somebody
Hinckley convinced himself that if he could lift his profile and become an equal to Foster that she would fall for him. So, he went back to his favorite movie for inspiration.
What Would Bickle Do?
In Taxi Driver, Travis Bickle attempts to assassinate a US Senator. Hinckley took that as motivation and decided to do one better. To become a national figure that Foster would want to be with, he was going to assassinate the president—Jimmy Carter.
Very Close To Jimmy Carter
With his eyes set on Carter, Hinckley began to follow the President and surprisingly it wasn't that hard to get close to him. At one event, Hinckley was within 12 inches of the leader of the free world.
Department of Defense, Wikimedia Commons
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Arrested
In October of 1980, Hinckley was arrested in the Nashville International Airport for illegal possession of a firearm.
Two And Two Not Put Together
Although Nashville had been a recent stop for Carter on his campaign trail, the FBI didn't connect the two things together and thus, the Secret Service was never notified.
The U.S. National Archives, Picryl
Psychiatric Care
After the arrest, Hinckley's parents placed him under psychiatric care for a short time.
Focus On Regan
It was around this time that Hinckley adjusted his attention from Carter to Ronald Reagan.
Michael Evans, Wikimedia Commons
More Notes
In March of 1981, Hinckley wrote a few more notes to Jodi Foster at Yale. She gave them to the dean, who gave them to the university police, but they were unable to track Hinckley down.
January 20, 1981
Ronald Reagan was sworn in as the next President of the United States of America.
White House Photographic Collection, Wikimedia Commons
March 21, 1981
Nine days before the assassination attempt, Ronald Reagan went to a fundraising event at Ford's Theatre. Reagan wrote about that day in his autobiography: "I looked up at the presidential box above the stage where Abe Lincoln had been sitting the night he was shot and felt a curious sensation ... I thought that even with all the Secret Service protection we now had, it was probably still possible for someone who had enough determination to get close enough to the president to shoot him".
White House Photographic Collection, Wikimedia Commons
Change Of Plans
On March 28th, 1981 Hinckley arrived in Washington D.C. with a plan to stay the night and then head off the next day to New Haven to make another attempt at wooing Jodi Foster. However, when he noticed President Reagan's schedule published in The Washington Star he made the decision to stay in the city and make his move on the President.
March 30, 1981
On Reagan's schedule that day was a luncheon speech to representatives of the AFL–CIO at the Washington Hilton.
AgnosticPreachersKid, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
The Safest Venue
The Washington Hilton had been used for presidential events hundreds of times in the past and the Secret Service considered it the safest venue in the city because of its enclosed "President's Walk" passageway.
The U.S. National Archives, Picryl
1:45 PM
At around 1:45 pm, Reagan was escorted through the passageway at the Hilton to perform his luncheon duties.
The U.S. National Archives, Picryl
2:27 PM
Reagan exited the hotel via the passageway at 2:27 pm and headed for his nearby limousine. There were reporters waiting for him, as well as a crowd of people (including John Hinckley Jr).
National Archives and Records Administration, Picryl
Bulletproof Vest
Often, the Secret Service would require President Reagan to wear a bulletproof vest for events, but in this case—since it was such a secure location and the only time the President would be at all exposed would be during the 30-foot walk to the limo—they didn't bother with a vest.
Unscreened Crowd
The Secret Service had done their due diligence by screening the people inside the hotel. However, allowing a group of unscreened people to be that close to the President upon his exit from the building...that was a big mistake.
The U.S. National Archives, Picryl
Three Layers Of Protection
The basic protocols of the layers of presidential protection included local law enforcement doing quick checks of people, followed by weapons checked by Secret Service agents. Hinckley managed to get past both those layers. The third layer were the agents right around the President.
The U.S. National Archives, Picryl
"Mr President—"
Hundreds of people were clapping for the President, and the press—standing about 20 feet away—were yelling questions at him when Reagan just happened to pass right in front of Hinckley. As a reporter for The Associated Press shouted "Mr President—", Hinckley pulled out his gun and crouched down.
Six Shots Rang Out
He managed to get six shots off with his Röhm RG-14 .22 LR blue steel revolver in less than two seconds.
Missed
All six shots missed the President.
Shot One
The first shot hit White House press secretary James Brady in the head and shattered his brain cavity.
Consolidated News Pictures, Getty Images
Shot Two
The second one hit DC police officer Thomas Delahanty in the back of the neck.
Shot Three And Jerry Parr
As the shots rang out, Special Agent in Charge Jerry Parr moved fast to grab the president and push him into the limousine. He did this as the third shot was fired—missing the President and hitting a window across the street. Had Parr not moved as quickly as he did, there is a strong likelihood that Reagan would have been hit in the head.
Shot Four And Tim McCarthy
With Parr taking care of the President, Special Agent Tim McCarthy turned towards the sound of the gunshots and made himself a human shield between the gunman and the President. The fourth shot hit McCarthy in the abdomen.
Unknown Author, Wikimedia Commons
Shot Five
The fifth shot hit the bullet-resistant glass of the rear door that Parr and Reagan were passing behind.
Shot Six
The final shot hit the armored limo and ricocheted off through the space between the open rear door and the frame of the limousine. It struck Reagan in his left underarm and lodged in his lung—less than an inch from the President's heart.
Hinckley Taken Down
Secret Service agent Dennis McCarthy dove on Hinckley. Two Labor officials from Ohio also got on Hinckley and began punching him. McCarthy had to physically "strike two citizens" to get them off Hinckley (probably the Labor officials).
Michael Evans, Wikimedia Commons
"Rawhide Is OK...We're Going To Crown"
At first glance and upon the agents' initial inspection of the President in the limousine, it appeared that the President (codename: Rawhide) hadn't been shot and was ok. Lead agent Parr radioed that "Rawhide is OK...we're going to Crown" (the White House).
CNN, Stalker: The Reagan Shooting (2013)
Blood
Reagan was in major pain, though, and coughed up blood.
Showtime, The Day Reagan Was Shot ( 2001)
Change Of Plans
Upon seeing this, agent Parr thought that a broken rib had possibly punctured Reagan's lung and he made the call to go to George Washington University Hospital instead of the White House. It was another decision that probably saved the President's life.
Four Minutes
The entire trip from the hotel to the hospital took less than four minutes.
CNN, Stalker: The Reagan Shooting (2013)
Emergency
Reagan walked into the hospital unassisted, smiling at people outside. But once inside, he collapsed to a knee and was taken to the emergency department.
Showtime, The Day Reagan Was Shot ( 2001)
He Was Shot
While in the emergency room, the doctors treated his low systolic blood pressure and gave him fluids and chest tubes. It was there that they found the entrance wound of the bullet. This surprised agent Parr, who had assumed he'd broken the President's ribs when pushing him into the limousine.
CNN, Stalker: The Reagan Shooting (2013)
Surgery
30 minutes after arriving at the emergency department, Reagan was headed for surgery. Surgery was long and the President lost a lot of blood, but doctors were able to remove the bullet.
Reagan Library, Wikimedia Commons
Full Recovery
It took some time (less than many doctors would have predicted, though), but Reagan made a full recovery and went on to serve his term as President and win re-election to a second term as well.
Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, Wikimedia Commons
Never Again
After the shooting, Reagan never again got out of a limousine onto a public sidewalk or walked across an airport tarmac for the rest of his presidency.
The U.S. National Archives, Picryl
Hinckley Verdict
John Hinckley was found not guilty by reason of insanity on June 21, 1982.
Confinement
Hinckley was sent to St Elizabeths Hospital—a psychiatric hospital in Washington, DC—where he remained until 2006, when he began a program that allowed him some time at his mother's house.
Tom, CC BY-SA 2.5, Wikimedia Commons
Hinckley Released
In 2016, Hinckley was allowed to leave the hospital for good to live with his mother full-time.
No Regrets
After his release, Hinckley showed no regret for what he had done—and called the shooting, "the greatest love offering in the history of the world".
The Washington Post, Getty Images
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