THE ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT ON RONALD REGAN

The assassination attempt on Ronald Regan occurred in 1981, just 69 days into his presidency. Ronald Reagan was the first United States president to survive being shot in an assassination attempt.

While leaving a speaking engagement in DC, President Reagan was shot and wounded by John Hinckley, Jr. The motivation behind Hinckley's attack stemmed from an obsession with actress Jodie Foster after seeing her in the film Taxi Driver. Hinckley was convinced that by becoming a national figure he would be Foster's equal.

On March 30th, Hinckley emerged from a crowd of admirers and fired six shots at the President. Hinckley’s final bullet ricocheted off the side of a limousine, hitting the President and puncturing his lung.

Although no formal presidential succession took place, Secretary of State Alexander Haig famously stated that he was "in control here," although he was not in the line of succession of the President (Vice President George H. W. Bush was on a plane to DC, hence Haig’s comment).

The attack seriously wounded the President's Press Secretary, James Brady, who sustained a serious head wound and became permanently disabled. Brady became a leading advocate of gun control and, in 1993, The Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act (aka The Brady Bill) was passed, instituting federal background checks on firearm purchasers in the United States.

Hinckley was found not guilty by reason of insanity and has remained confined to a psychiatric facility since. After his trial, he wrote that the shooting was "the greatest love offering in the history of the world,” and did not indicate any regrets.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reagan_assassination_attempt

Regan, moments before the shooting.

The chaos that ensued moments after the shots were fired.

Footage of the assassination attempt.