John Hinckley Jr. Shoots President Ronald Reagan

Context

Ronald Reagan took office on January 20, 1981, after a landslide victory over incumbent Jimmy Carter. His early agenda centered on tax cuts, deregulation, and a harder line against the Soviet Union amid ongoing Cold War tensions. The new administration had begun implementing these policies when the president traveled to the Washington Hilton on March 30 to address the Building and Construction Trades Department of the AFL-CIO.

What Happened

Reagan delivered his speech inside the hotel and exited through a side entrance toward his waiting limousine. John Hinckley Jr., who had been waiting in the crowd, drew a .22-caliber Röhm RG-14 revolver and fired six shots in quick succession. One bullet ricocheted off the armored limousine and struck Reagan under the left arm, puncturing a lung. Press Secretary James Brady was hit in the head, Secret Service agent Tim McCarthy took a bullet to the chest while shielding the president, and D.C. police officer Thomas Delahanty was wounded in the neck. Hinckley was tackled and subdued by agents within seconds.

Aftermath

Reagan was rushed to George Washington University Hospital, where surgeons removed the bullet and repaired the damage; he was released on April 11. Brady suffered permanent brain damage and required lifelong care until his death in 2014. Hinckley was charged with multiple counts of attempted murder. No formal transfer of power under the Twenty-fifth Amendment occurred, though Secretary of State Alexander Haig briefly assured the public that the government remained in control while Vice President George H. W. Bush returned from Texas.

Legacy

The attack prompted the Secret Service to tighten protocols around presidential movements and public appearances. Hinckley’s 1982 acquittal by reason of insanity led Congress and several states to reform the insanity defense, shifting the burden of proof to the defendant in many jurisdictions. The episode also reinforced Reagan’s image of resilience during a pivotal early phase of his administration and highlighted the persistent risks of lone actors motivated by personal delusions rather than political ideology.