Correspondents' Dinner Shooting Revives Memories of Another Presidential Assassination Attempt—at the Same Hotel
The recent alleged assassination attempt against President Trump at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner has drawn parallels to the 1981 assassination attempt on President Reagan at the same hotel. John Hinckley Jr., who attempted to kill Reagan, expressed concern over the security at the Washington Hilton, suggesting it is not a safe venue for large events. Meanwhile, a special agent involved in the Reagan incident praised the Secret Service's response to the recent shooting attempt.
- ▪The alleged assassination attempt on Trump occurred at the Washington Hilton, the same venue where Reagan was shot in 1981.
- ▪John Hinckley Jr. described the recent shooting as 'spooky' due to its location.
- ▪Hinckley was found not guilty by reason of insanity and spent over 30 years in a psychiatric institution before his release.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
Forty-five years before the alleged assassination attempt against President Donald Trump at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner on Saturday night, a different President was shot at the same Washington, D.C., hotel.Then-President Ronald Reagan was outside the Washington Hilton, the venue where the WHCA dinner is held each year, in 1981 when a man named John Hinckley Jr. made an attempt on his life. While the suspect in Saturday’s shooting was apprehended before reaching the main ballroom where Trump, members of his Cabinet, and more than 2,000 other guests were seated, Hinckley got far closer to Reagan in his attack, firing a revolver at the President from just feet away and wounding him before he was ultimately subdued and arrested.Hinckley, now 70, said that it was…
Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at TIME — Top.
Discussion
0 commentsMore from TIME — Top
