American Artifacts: Reagan Assassination Attempt - "Rawhide Down"

Summary

On March 30, 1981, President Ronald Reagan survived an assassination attempt outside the Washington Hilton Hotel. John Hinckley Jr. fired six shots, hitting press secretary James Brady, DC police officer Thomas Delahanty, and Secret Service agent Timothy McCarthy. The fourth bullet narrowly missed Reagan, while the sixth ricocheted off the presidential limousine, striking Reagan in the chest. Secret Service agent Jerry Parr swiftly got Reagan into the limousine and, upon realizing the president was injured, diverted to George Washington Hospital. Code names were used to protect sensitive information during the emergency response.

Takeaways

• 🔫 On March 30th, 1981, President Ronald Reagan was targeted by a would-be assassin who fired six shots outside the Washington Hilton Hotel.
• 💔 The first shot hit James Brady, the press secretary, in the head, causing him to fall down.
• 👮 The second shot hit Thomas Delahanty, a DC police officer who was checking on the president's progress.
• 🎯 The assassin, Hinckley, had an effective range of 20 to 30 feet and had practiced target shooting.
• 🚼 Jerry Parr, Reagan's lead Secret Service agent, acted swiftly to protect the president within 1.41 seconds of the first shot being fired.
• 🚨 The third shot missed Reagan and lodged in a window across the street, leaving a bullet hole that was later photographed.
• 🛡 Tim McCarthy, another Secret Service agent, took a bullet in the chest while shielding the president.
• 🚗 The president was quickly ushered into the armored limousine by Jerry Parr, who then had the driver speed away.
• 🚨 The sixth and final shot ricocheted off the limousine and hit Reagan, lodging in his lung.
• 🚑 Despite initial plans to return to the White House, Jerry Parr decided to divert to George Washington Hospital due to Reagan's difficulty breathing and the presence of frothy blood, indicating a lung injury.
• 📻 Secret Service used code names and phrases like 'Rawhide Down' to communicate about the president's condition to avoid alerting potential listeners, including the media and assassins.

Q & A

On what date did the assassination attempt on President Ronald Reagan occur?

The assassination attempt on President Ronald Reagan occurred on March 30th, 1981.

Where was the shooting incident involving President Reagan located in relation to the White House?

The shooting incident took place outside the Washington Hilton hotel, which is two miles from the White House.

What was the name of the Washington Post reporter who authored the book about the assassination attempt on Ronald Reagan?

The Washington Post reporter who authored the book about the assassination attempt was Dell Wilber.

How many shots were fired by the would-be assassin at President Reagan?

The would-be assassin fired six shots at President Ronald Reagan.

Who was hit by the first shot fired by the would-be assassin?

The first shot hit Jim Brady, the press secretary.

What happened to Tom Delahanty, the DC police officer, during the shooting?

Tom Delahanty was hit in the back by the second shot and fell down.

What was the effective range of the assassin's weapon, and had the assassin practiced target shooting?

The assassin had an effective range of 20 to 30 feet and had done target practice.

Who was credited with helping save President Reagan's life during the shooting?

Tim McCarthy, a Secret Service agent, was credited with helping save President Reagan's life.

How did the bullet that hit President Reagan end up inside him?

The bullet that hit President Reagan ricocheted off the back quarter panel of the limousine and lodged in his lung.

What was the code name used for Ronald Reagan, and where was it used in the script?

Ronald Reagan's code name was 'Rawhide Down,' which was used in the script when Jerry Parr radioed that 'Raw is OK.'

Why did Jerry Parr decide to take President Reagan to the emergency room of George Washington Hospital instead of the White House?

Jerry Parr decided to take President Reagan to the emergency room because Reagan was having trouble breathing and showed signs of oxygen deprivation from the lungs, indicating a serious injury.