Encore | An Assassin in the Crowd: Protecting President Ronald Reagan, Part 1

The National Law Enforcement Museum at the Washington Hilton Hotel held a discussion about the attempted assassination of President Ronald Reagan on March 30, 1981, by John Hinckley, Jr. President Reagan was only a few months into his presidency when he spoke to representatives from the AFL-CIO at the Hilton Hotel. As he was leaving the building, he waved to the crowds of people, and then a shot rang out. President Reagan’s Secret Service rushed the president into his limo and then to George Washington University Hospital where surgeons repaired the damage from Hinckley’s bullet. Law enforcement officers tackled Hinckley at the hotel and held him at the DC jail until he was formally arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

President Reagan would make a full recovery after one of the bullets ricocheted and struck him under the arm. He was later seen on the White House lawn wearing a bright red sweater and concealing a bullet-resistant vest.

In 1982, Hinckley was found not guilty by reason of insanity and was committed to St. Elizabeths Hospital. In 2016, he was released from St. Elizabeths Hospital and lived with his elderly mother in suburban Virginia, during which time, he sought an unconditional release from court ordered restrictions. It wasn’t until 2021 that this release was considered, but not until June 2022 would he be released. Ultimately, though, on June 15, 2022, John Hinckley, Jr. was officially released without any court mandated restrictions.