'HONEY, I FORGOT TO DUCK': THE SHOOTING OF RONALD REAGAN

A small group of well-wishers had gatheredto greet their newly-elected president.

'Honey, I forgot to duck': Reagan's memorable words

Ronald Reagan, just 69 days into hispresidency, was warmly applauded as he left the Washington Hilton.

He turned to wave at the cheering crowds andthen gave an additional wave to the press corps. It was Monday, 30 March, 1981,and it was to prove a fateful day for Mr President.

No one noticed that one member of the crowdwas not cheering. No one was aware that one young man - John Hinckley, Jnr -had a loaded revolver in his pocket.

A wave to the gathered crowd

As Reagan made his way to the waitinglimousine, he passed right in front of Hinckley, the would-be assassin.

Hinckley had long dreamed of killing anAmerican president. Just five months earlier, he had hoped to kill JimmyCarter. But the attempt had failed when he was arrested at Nashville Airportand charged with illegally possessing a gun.

Anything to impress Jodie Foster

There was a deeply disturbing side toHinckley’s character - one that was all-too familiar to actress Jodie Foster.Hinckley had become obsessed with Foster after her graphic portrayal of a12-year-old prostitute in the film Taxi Driver. He had been stalking her eversince.

He was equally obsessed with Travis Bickle,the film’s principal character, who had attempted to assassinate a would-bepresidential hopeful.

Now, Hinckley decided to emulate Bickle andshoot Reagan.

His motive was neither political and norwas it an act of hatred. He was so obsessed with Foster that he wanted to dosomething truly spectacular - something that he hoped would impress her andcause her to admire him.

Now, as Reagan passed the cheering crowd,Hinckley seized the moment. He whipped out his Rohm .22 revolver and fired sixshots in rapid succession.

Chaos as shots are fired

The first bullet hit White House PressSecretary James Brady in the head: he collapsed to the ground.

The second lodged itself in the neck ofpolice officer Thomas Delahanty as he spun round to protect the president.

The third shot missed everyone: itshattered the window of a nearby building.

The fourth bullet struck Secret Serviceagent Timothy McCarthy in the stomach.

The fifth hit the limousine window, whilethe sixth bullet also hit the car, then ricocheted off the metal and struckReagan under his left arm.

The president was clearly hurt, but in themoment of panic and confusion no one realised how serious were his injuries.

Even Reagan himself was not aware he’d beenshot; he thought he’d broken a rib when Special Agent Jerry Parr pushed himinto the limousine.

The bodyguards are hit

As Hinckley was wrestled to the ground,Reagan’s motorcade sped off towards the White House. ‘Rawhide [Reagan’scodename] is OK,’ said Parr. But when Reagan started to cough up frothy pinkblood, it was clear that all was not well.

The limousine now swung round and headedinstead for George Washington University Hospital.

Reagan managed to get out of the limousineunaided and struggle into the hospital, but then his knees suddenly gave wayand he had trouble breathing.

He was rushed to the emergency room wherehis suit was cut off. FBI agents quickly removed his wallet that contained theGold Codes - the nuclear launch codes.

The road to recovery

Reagan’s blood pressure had fallen to 60(it should have been 140) and he was in deep shock. It suddenly dawned onhospital staff that he was unlikely to survive.

Foster: stalked

The president retained his customaryhumour, even though he was in serious pain. ‘I hope you’re all Republicans,’ hejoked to the operating staff. When his wife, Nancy, arrived a few minuteslater, he uttered the memorable line: ‘Honey, I forgot to duck’.

The operation to save Reagan lasted threehours. The surgeons removed the bullet from Reagan’s lung, unaware that it wasstill explosive and could have gone off there and then.

Reagan made a rapid recovery, despitelosing some five pints of blood. He left hospital after 13 days and was given aheroic welcome back to the White House. He was the only serving US president tosurvive being shot in an assassination attempt.

James Brady was not so fortunate. Hit in thehead with a bullet, he has been paralysed and in a wheelchair ever since. Hehas devoted all his energies to lobbying for stricter handgun control.

As for Hinckley, he was found not guilty byreason of insanity.

He remains under institutionalised psychiatriccare to this day.

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