On March 30, 1981, just 69 days into his presidency, Ronald Reagan survived one of the most consequential assassination attempts in modern American history. Outside the Washington Hilton hotel in Washington, D.C., 25-year-old John Hinckley Jr. fired six shots in less than two seconds as Reagan exited a luncheon speech.
Reagan was struck by a ricocheting bullet that punctured his lung and came within inches of his heart. Three others were also wounded: White House Press Secretary James Brady, Secret Service agent Timothy McCarthy, and Washington police officer Thomas Delahanty.
Reagan had gone to the Washington Hilton Hotel to address the AFL-CIO Building and Construction Trades Department. The hotel was a frequent presidential venue because it had a specially designed enclosed passageway known as the “President’s Walk,” allowing safer movement between motorcade and building. Ironically, the shooting occurred in the short outdoor stretch between the hotel exit and Reagan’s limousine.
The Washington Hilton would later gain the nickname “The Hinckley Hilton” because of the incident.
The Shooter: John Hinckley Jr.
Hinckley was a deeply disturbed young man suffering from severe mental illness. He had developed an obsessive fixation on actress Jodie Foster after repeatedly watching the film Taxi Driver, in which political assassination plays a central role.
Hinckley believed that assassinating the president would impress Foster and win her affection. Before the attack, he wrote her a letter describing the act as a “historic deed.”
At approximately 2:27 p.m., Reagan exited the hotel and waved to the press crowd. Hinckley, standing among reporters and bystanders behind a rope line, suddenly fired six rounds from a Röhm RG-14 .22-caliber revolver in about 1.7 seconds.
The bullets struck:
- James Brady – shot in the head
- Thomas Delahanty – shot in the neck
- Timothy McCarthy – shot in the chest while shielding Reagan
- Reagan – hit by a bullet that ricocheted off the armored limousine and entered under his left arm
Hinckley was immediately subdued by Secret Service and police officers.
How Reagan Was Saved
Initially, Reagan believed he had only broken a rib or been shoved hard into the limousine. Secret Service agent Jerry Parr noticed Reagan coughing blood and redirected the motorcade from the White House to George Washington University Hospital. That decision likely saved Reagan’s life.
Doctors found that the bullet had punctured his left lung and caused serious internal bleeding. Reagan lost a significant amount of blood before emergency surgery removed the bullet.
Reagan’s calmness under near-fatal conditions became legendary. To his wife Nancy Reagan, he reportedly joked, “Honey, I forgot to duck.” To surgeons entering the operating room, he said, “Please tell me you’re Republicans.”
The shooting triggered confusion over presidential authority. Vice President George H. W. Bush was in Texas and rushed back to Washington. Meanwhile, Secretary of State Alexander Haig made the infamous statement, “I am in control here.”
He meant control of the executive branch pending Bush’s return, but the wording caused controversy because constitutionally the vice president was next in line after the president. The episode exposed uncertainty in emergency succession procedures.
Reagan Emerges Stronger
Rather than weaken Reagan, the shooting dramatically strengthened him. His approval ratings rose sharply as Americans admired his resilience. Sympathy and momentum helped him push through key parts of his economic agenda later that year, including tax legislation. The image of a wounded but joking president reinforced his aura of toughness and leadership. This event helped transform Reagan from a contested conservative figure into a national symbol.
Hinckley was found not guilty by reason of insanity in 1982 and committed to psychiatric care rather than prison. The verdict triggered national outrage and led many states to tighten insanity defense laws. He remained under institutional and legal supervision for decades before eventual release.
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