Site of the 1975 Gerald Ford assassination attempt

This is the location where Lynette "Squeaky" Fromme attempted to assassinate US President Gerald Ford.

It is situated near the northern entrance to California State Capitol Park in Sacramento, California.

Fromme was a member of the notorious Manson Family. She had moved to Sacramento to be closer to the cult's leader, Charles Manson, following his transfer to Folsom State Prison.

On the morning of September 5, 1975, Fromme dressed in a red, free-flowing robe that allowed her to conceal a Colt M1911 .45 pistol in a leg holster.

She had obtained the weapon from a friend named Harold Boro. Shortly before the incident, she told Boro that she needed it for protection because the Manson Family had "a lot of enemies."

Shortly after 10 a.m., President Ford left the Senator Hotel at 1121 L Street and entered the park.

That morning, crowds of people gathered along the pathway to catch a glimpse of the president.

Ford shook hands with people and continued walking southward until he reached this section of the path.

Suddenly, he noticed a hand extending from the crowd, holding a gun.

Although Fromme pulled the trigger, the weapon failed to fire because there wasn't a round in the chamber.

Upon hearing the metallic "click," a nearby Secret Service agent named Larry Buendorf immediately wrestled her to the ground.

As Fromme was being arrested, she expressed surprise that the gun had misfired:

"It didn't go off. Can you believe that? It didn't go off."

Following the incident, Ford continued towards the state capitol building, where he met with California Governor Jerry Brown. The two men did not discuss the failed attempt until after they finished their scheduled business.

On November 19, 1975, Fromme was found guilty of trying to assassinate Ford. One month later, she was sentenced to life in prison.

She was released in August 2009 after spending nearly 37 years behind bars.