Assassination attempt on Ronald Reagan

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The moments that leadit tae the assassination attempt, 1981

The assassination attempt on Ronald Reagan happenit on Monday, 30 Mairch, 1981. 69 days efter acomin Preses, Ronald Reagan wis leavin efter a speakin engagement at the Washington Hilton Hotel in Washington, D.C..[1] Shots war firit bi John Hinckley, Jr. as he left tae enter the presestial limo. The assassination attempt stairtit concern aboot gun control.

Ronald Reagan wis shot in the chest an in the lawer richt airm. He sufferit a puncturit lung an hivy internal bleedin, but prompt medical attention allaed him tae recover quickly. No formal invocation o succession teuk place, altho Unitit States Secretar o State Alexander Haig controversially statit that he wis "in control here" while Vice Preses George H. W. Bush returnit tae Washington.

Nobody wis killit in the attack, tho Press Secretar James Brady wis left paralyzit an permanently disablit. Hinckley wis foond nae guilty bi reason o insanity an remains confinit tae a psychiatric facility.

Assassination attempt[eedit | eedit soorce]

The "Preses's Walk" aurie whaur Reagan wis shot

At 2:27 pm, Reagan exitit the hotel throu "Preses's Walk" an its K Street NW exit taeward his waitin limousine. Hinckley waitit within the crowd o ceevilians. While the Secret Service blockit those attendin the preses's speech, in a "colossal mistake" the agency allaed an unsearchit group tae staund within o him, behind a rope line.

Unexpectitly, Reagan passit richt in front o Hinckley. Believin he wad never get a better chance, Hinckley firit a Röhm RG-14 .22 lang rifle[2] blue steel revolver sax times in 1.7 seconds.[3]

Five oot o the sax shots missit the preses.[4] The first bullet hit White House Press Secretar James Brady in the heid. The seicont bullet hit Destrict o Columbie police officer Thomas Delahanty in the back o his neck as he turnit tae pertect Reagan.[5][6][7] Hinckley nou haed a clear shot at the preses, but the third bullet owershot him an hit the windae o a biggin athort the street.

As Special Agent In Charge Jerry Parr quickly pushit Reagan intae the limousine, the fowerth bullet hit Secret Service agent Timothy McCarthy in the abdomen[5][6] as he spread his body ower Reagan tae mak himsel a target. The fift bullet hit the bullet-resistant gless o the windae on the open side door o the limousine. The saxt an final bullet ricochetit off the armorit side o the limousine an hit the preses in his left unnerairm, grazin a rib an lodgin in his lung, stoppin nearly 1 inch (25mm) frae his hert. Parr's prompt reaction savit Reagan frae bein hit in the heid.

Efter the shootin[eedit | eedit soorce]

Alexander Haig at the press conference during the shooting

Reagan got a puncturit lung an hivy internal bleedin. He got medical attention quickly.[8] No formal transfer o presestial pouer teuk place, altho Secretar o State Alexander Haig statit that he wis "in control here" while Vice Preses George H. W. Bush returnit tae Washington.

Controversy[eedit | eedit soorce]

Thare wis a controversy at the White House when Reagan wis at the hospital. At a press conference, Alexander Haig spoke tae reports an said the he wis "in charge" acause o the order o succession.

The shooter, John Hinckley, Jr.

Bush wis oot o Washington an he thocht that as the Unitit States Secretar o State he wis tae succeit, but in reality, Speaker o the Unitit States House o Representatives Tip O'Neill wis tae succeit Reagan an Bush tae be in charge. Haig wis angry aboot his mistake as did O'Neill. This feud left Haig tae resign aboot a year later.

Hinckley's motivation[eedit | eedit soorce]

The shuiter wis 30-year auld John Hinckley, Jr.. Hinckley said that he wantit tae shuit Preses Reagan tae impress actress Jodie Foster.[9] He plannit the assassination efter he saw the film Taxi Driver an thare wis a scene seemilar tae the event.[10]

Hinckley decideit tae copy DeNiro's character in the film. He began tae stalk Preses Jimmy Carter. He wis surprisit at how easy it wis tae get close tae the preses—anly ane fit away at ane event. He wis reestit in October 1980 at Nashville Internaitional Airport for illegal possession o fireairms. Even tho Carter made a campaign stap thare, the Federal Bureau of Investigation did nae connect this reest tae the Preses an did nae tell the Unitit States Secret Service.[11]

He wrote three or fower mair notes tae Foster in early Mairch 1981. Foster gae thir notes tae her dean, who gae them tae the Yale police depairtment. Efter this, the police wantit tae find Hinckley, but failit.[12][13] Hinckley suin movit tae Washington, D.C. tae cairy-oot his assassination plan.

Aftermath[eedit | eedit soorce]

Ronald an Nancy Reagan at the White House in the eftermath o the shuitin
James Brady in 2006

Nobody wis killit in the attack. Press Secretar James Brady wis left paralyzit an permanently disablit. Brady deit in August 2014. Hinckley wis foond nae guilty bi reason o insanity. He is in a psychiatric facility.

Reagan wis the first servin U.S. Preses tae survive bein shot in an assassination attempt. The members o his staff wur anxious for the preses tae appear tae be recoverin quickly, an the mornin efter his operation he saw veesitors an signit a piece o legislation. Reagan left the hospital on the 13t day. He wis able tae traivel ootside o Washington 49 days later.

Afore the shootin, Reagan haed the lawest approval ratins nor ony ither preses durin his first term in office. Efter the shootin, Reagan's approval ratins rose. The assassination attempt boostit his popularity an some mey say that it helpit him win his re-election campaign in 1984.

Hinckley trial[eedit | eedit soorce]

Hinckley wis foond nae guilty bi reason o insanity on 21 Juin 1982. The defence psychiatric reports haed foond him tae be insane[14] while the prosecution reports declarit him legally sane.[15][16]

Follaein his lawyers' advice, he declinit tae tak the staund in his ain defence.[17] Hinckley wis confinit at St. Elizabeths Hospital in Washington, D.C., whaur he is still bein held.

References[eedit | eedit soorce]

  1. ↑ Wapshott, Nicholas (2007). Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher: A Political Marriage. New York, NY: Sentinel. p. 167. ISBN 978-1-101-21787-0.
  2. ↑ Schlager, D.; Johnson, T.; McFall, R. (1996). "Safety of Imaging Exploding Bullets With Ultrasound". Annals of Emergency Medicine. 28 (2): 183–187. doi:10.1016/S0196-0644(96)70060-4. PMID 8759583. Retrieved 28 September 2013.
  3. ↑ The President is Shot Archived 2007-01-29 at the Wayback Machine by Denise Noe. Crime Library. Courtroom Television Network, LLC. Retrieved 27 Februar 2007.
  4. ↑ Wilentz, Sean (2008). The Age of Reagan: A History, 1974–2008. New York: HarperCollins. p. 142. ISBN 978-0-06-074480-9.
  5. ↑ a b Feaver, Douglas. "Three men shot at the side of their President", The Washington Post, 31 Mairch 1981.
  6. ↑ a b Hunter, Marjorie. "2 in Reagan security detail are wounded outside hotel", New York Times, 31 Mairch 1981.
  7. ↑ Fears of Explosive Bullet Force Surgery on Officer, by Charles R. Babcock, The Washington Post, 3 Aprile 1981.
  8. ↑ "Remembering the Assassination Attempt on Ronald Reagan Archived 2019-12-19 at the Wayback Machine". Larry King Live, 30 Mairch 2001.
  9. ↑ "The Insanity Defense, Post-Hinckley". New York Times.com. Retrieved 12 Februar 2014.
  10. ↑ Taxi Driver Archived 2007-02-08 at the Wayback Machine bi Denise Noe. Crime Library. Courtroom Television Network, LLC. Retrieved 27 Februar 2007.
  11. ↑ Lyons, Richard D. (3 Apryle 1981). "F.B.I. Notice On Hinckley Arrest At Issue". The New York Times.
  12. ↑ Teen-age Actress Says Notes Sent by Suspect Did Not Hint Violence, Matthew L. Wald, New York Times, 2 Aprile 1981. Retrieved 28 Februar 2007.
  13. ↑ Yale Police Searched For Suspect Weeks Before Reagan Was Shot, Matthew L. Wald, New York Times, 5 Aprile 1981. Retrieved 28 Februar 2007.
  14. ↑ Psychologist Says Hinckley's Tests Similar to Those o the Severely Ill, bi Laura A. Kiernan, The Washington Post, 21 Mey 1982. Retrieved 3 Mairch 2007.
  15. ↑ John Hinckley's Acts Describit as Unreasonable but Not Insane, bi Laura A. Kiernan, The Washington Post, 11 Juin 1982. Retrieved 3 Mairch 2007.
  16. ↑ Hinckley Able to Abide bi Law, Doctor Says, bi Laura A. Kiernan, The Washington Post, 5 Juin 1982. Retrieved 3 Mairch 2007.
  17. ↑ John Hinckley Declines to Take the Stand, bi Laura A. Kiernan, The Washington Post, 3 Juin 1982. Retrieved 3 Mairch 2007.

Ither wabsteids[eedit | eedit soorce]

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