Reagan attempted assassination site

This is the location where John Hinckley attempted to assassinate US President Ronald Reagan.

It is situated on T Street NW in Washington, D.C.

The shooting took place outside the southern entrance of the Washington Hilton hotel.

Obsession with Jodie Foster

Hinckley was a 25-year-old college dropout who had erotomania, a delusional disorder that causes the sufferer to believe an unattainable person is secretly in love with them.

In Hinckley's case, he became obsessed with teenage actress Jodie Foster after repeatedly watching the 1976 film Taxi Driver.

As his fixation with Foster grew, he began sending her letters, calling her, and following her around the country. When these efforts failed to establish a relationship with her, he reasoned that he needed to do something drastic to grab her attention.

Initially, he thought about hijacking an aircraft or attempting suicide in front of the actress. Later, he settled on the idea of assassinating the president.

In his mind, committing such an act would make him a nationally known figure, thereby impressing Foster. At the very least, she would learn his name.

It appears as though Hinckley's initial target was President Jimmy Carter, whom he trailed across the United States. However, his plans were thwarted on October 9th, 1980, after he was arrested in Nashville, Tennessee, for possession of concealed weapons.

Republican candidate Ronald Reagan defeated Carter in the 1980 United States presidential election one month later. He took office on January 20th, 1981, roughly two months before the shooting.

Assassination attempt

At exactly 2.27 p.m. on March 30th, 1981, President Reagan left a conference at the Hilton Hotel and began walking back to his presidential limousine, which was parked at this section of T Street NW.

Hinckley was hidden among the crowd, which the Secret Service had negligently allowed to stand within 15 feet of the vehicle.

As Reagan was waving at onlookers, Hinckley pulled out a .22 caliber Röhm RG-14 revolver and fired six shots.

The president was seriously wounded by a ricochet bullet that bounced off his armored limousine and struck him in the left underarm. The bullet, which stopped roughly one inch from his heart, left him with a grazed rib and a partially collapsed lung.

Press Secretary James Brady, MPDC police officer Thomas Delahanty, and Secret Service agent Timothy McCarthy also sustained injuries.

Although the four men survived the attack, Brady was left permanently disabled. His death in 2014 was ruled a homicide, as the medical examiner concluded that his injuries contributed to his passing.

Following the shooting, members of the crowd attacked Hinckley and dragged him to the ground before the Secret Service eventually stepped in and arrested him.

Hinckley was released in 2016

Hinckley went on trial for the attempted assassination but was later found not guilty by reason of insanity and confined to St. Elizabeths Hospital in Washington, D.C.

During the 2000s, he was given permission to leave the hospital for a set number of days as long as he remained under parental supervision.

A psychiatric assessment in 2016 determined that Hinckley was no longer a threat to himself or others. On September 10th, 2016, a federal judge approved his release, provided he abided by strict conditions.

In 2022, he was granted a full release.

Security procedures

The attempt on Reagan's life prompted the Secret Service to overhaul its security procedures. Perimeters were pushed out, and the practice of leaving buildings via open areas was ended. The agency was also granted the authority to scan members of the crowd with metal detectors.

These measures, along with improved training for agents, enhanced technology, better communication, and more effective intelligence gathering, have drastically reduced the vulnerability of the president.