Assassination of John F. Kennedy Warning: You are not logged in. Your IP address will be publicly visible if you make any edits. If you log in or create an account, your edits will be attributed to your username, along with other benefits.Anti-spam check. Do not fill this in! ===Shooting=== {{wide image|File:Dallas Elm Street.jpg|1400px|dir=rtl|alt=A panoramic view of Dealey Plaza, Dallas, Texas, the location where President John F. Kennedy is assassinated on November 22, 1963.|[[Dealey Plaza]] in 2006, with Elm Street on the right and the Triple Underpass in the middle. The white concrete pergola, from which [[Zapruder film|Zapruder was filming]], is at the center, behind the lamp-post, and the [[Grassy Knoll]] is slightly to its left. The red building partially visible at the extreme upper right is the [[Texas School Book Depository]]. Kennedy's motorcade moved from right to left, and Kennedy was struck by the final bullet just left of the lamp-post in front of the pergola.}} {{multiple image | align = right | total_width = 500 | image1 = Robert Croft photo showing JFK's car on Elm Street.jpg | alt1 = John F. Kennedy is seen sitting in a limousine, waving with a crowd on Elm Street, Dealey Plaza. | image2 = Moorman photo of JFK assassination.jpg | alt2 = John F. Kennedy is fatally shot in the head, with Jacqueline Kennedy sitting beside him. Jacqueline can be seen turning over and looking at him at that moment. | footer = Robert Croft's photograph of Kennedy in [[Dealey Plaza]], before the first shot struck Kennedy (left), and the [[Mary Moorman|Mary Moorman photograph]] (right), taken a fraction of a second after the fatal shot. }} Kennedy's limousine entered Dealey Plaza at 12:30 p.m. CST.<ref name="bugliosixi"/> Nellie Connally turned and commented to Kennedy, who was sitting behind her, "Mr. President, they can't make you believe now that there are not some in Dallas who love and appreciate you, can they?" Kennedy's reply{{snd}}"No, they sure can't"{{snd}}were his last words.<ref>[[#Bugliosi2008|Bugliosi (2008)]], pp. 56–57.</ref> From Houston Street, the limousine made the planned left turn onto Elm, passing the Texas School Book Depository.<ref>[[#Bugliosi2008|Bugliosi (2008)]], pp. 56, 58.</ref> As it continued down Elm Street, multiple shots were fired: about 80% of the witnesses recalled hearing three shots.<ref name="Earwitnesses">[[#McAdams|McAdams (2012)]]</ref> The Warren Commission concluded that three shots were fired and noted that most witnesses recalled that the second and third shots were bunched together.<ref>[[#Warren|Warren (1964)]], p. 110.</ref> Shortly after Kennedy began waving, some witnesses heard the first gunshot, but few in the crowd or motorcade reacted, many interpreting the sound as a firecracker or [[back-fire|backfire]].<ref>[[#Warren|Warren (1964)]], p. 49.</ref><ref>[[#Bugliosi2008|Bugliosi (2008)]], pp. 58–60.</ref>{{efn|group=note|After the first shot, witness Virgie Rachley—an employee at the Texas School Book Depository—reported seeing sparks on the pavement shortly behind the president's limousine.<ref name="bugliosi39">[[#Bugliosi2007|Bugliosi (2007)]], p. 39.</ref>}} {{multiple image | align = left | direction = vertical | total_width = 230 | image1 = Sbt2.jpg | image2 = Sbt critics.jpg | alt2 = A curve showing the same bullet's trajectory in an alternative scenario where Kennedy sat directly behind Connally, according to conspiracy theorists. | footer = Per the [[Warren Commission]]'s [[single-bullet theory]] (top), one bullet caused Kennedy's nonfatal wound and Connally's wounds. Conspiracy theorists, neglecting that Kennedy was not directly behind Connally, claim that the trajectory required a "magic bullet" (bottom).<ref>[[#Bugliosi2007|Bugliosi (2007)]], pp. xxix, 458.</ref> | alt1 = A straight line is shown illustrating the trajectory of the bullet that hit John F. Kennedy and John Connally, according to the single-bullet theory. }} Within one second of each other, Governor Connally and Mrs. Kennedy turned abruptly from their left to their right.<ref>[[#Appendix1|HSCA Appendix to Hearings]], Vol VI. p. 29.</ref> Connally—an experienced hunter—immediately recognized the sound as that of a rifle and turned his head and torso rightward, noting nothing unusual behind him.<ref name="bugliosi39"/> He testified that he could not see Kennedy, so he started to turn forward again (turning from his right to his left), and that when his head was facing about 20 degrees left of center,<ref name="johnconnally">[[#GovConnally|Testimony of Gov. John Bowden Connally, Jr]], Warren Commission Hearings.</ref> he was struck in his upper right back by a shot he did not hear,<ref name="johnconnally"/><ref name="bug61">[[#Bugliosi2008|Bugliosi (2008)]], p. 61.</ref> then shouted, "My God. They're going to kill us all!"<ref>[[#Bugliosi2008|Bugliosi (2008)]], p. 62.</ref> According to the Warren Commission and the HSCA, Kennedy was waving to the crowds on his right when a shot entered his upper back and exited his throat just beneath his [[larynx]].<ref>[[#Warren|Warren (1964)]], pp. 18–19.</ref><ref>[[#Stokes|Stokes (1979)]], pp. 41–46.</ref> He raised his elbows and clenched his fists in front of his face and neck, then leaned forward and leftward. Mrs. Kennedy, facing him, put her arms around him.<ref name="johnconnally"/><ref name="aarclibrary.org">[[#Shaw|Testimony of Dr. Robert Roeder Shaw]], Warren Commission Hearings.</ref><ref>[[#Bugliosi2008|Bugliosi (2008)]], pp. 61–62.</ref> Although a serious wound, it likely would have been survivable.<ref name="sabato216">[[#Sabato|Sabato (2013)]], p. 216.</ref> According to the Warren Commission's [[single-bullet theory]]—derided as the "magic bullet theory" by conspiracy theorists—Governor Connally was injured by the same bullet that exited Kennedy's neck. The bullet created an oval-shaped entry wound near his right shoulder, struck and destroyed several inches of Connally's right fifth rib, and exited his chest just below his right nipple, [[Pneumothorax|puncturing and collapsing his lung]]. That same bullet then entered his arm just above his right wrist and shattered his right [[radius (bone)|radius bone]]. The bullet exited just below the wrist at the inner side of his right palm and finally lodged in his left thigh.<ref name="posnerbullet">[[#Posner|Posner (1993)]], pp. 335–336.</ref><ref>[[#Warren|Warren (1964)]], pp. 85–96.</ref><ref name="sabato216"/> {{multiple image | align = right | total_width = 300 | image1 = HSCA-JFK-neck2-6-43.jpg | alt1 = A sketch shows an arrow illustrating the first bullet that struck John F. Kennedy. The bullet is seen entering into his neck and exiting the throat. | image2 = HSCA-JFK-head-7-125.jpg | alt2 = Another sketch shows an arrow illustrating the second bullet that fatally hit Kennedy in the head. Fragments are shown breaking from his skull. | footer = The trajectories of the two bullets that struck Kennedy, per the [[United States House Select Committee on Assassinations|House Select Committee on Assassinations]]. }} As the limousine passed the [[Dealey Plaza|grassy knoll]],<ref name="haygood">[[#Haygood|Testimony of Clyde A. Haygood]], Warren Commission Hearings.</ref> Kennedy was struck a second time, by a fatal shot to the head.<ref>[[#Bugliosi2008|Bugliosi (2008)]], pp. 63–64.</ref> The Warren Commission made no finding as to whether this was the second or third bullet fired, and concluded—as did the HSCA—that the second shot to strike Kennedy entered the rear of his head. It then passed in fragments through his skull, creating a large, "roughly [[wikt:ovular|ovular]]" {{sic}} hole on the rear, right side of the head, and spraying blood and fragments. His brain and blood spatter landed as far as the following Secret Service car and the motorcycle officers.<ref>[[#Warren|Warren (1964)]], pp. 111–115.</ref><ref>[[#Bugliosi2007|Bugliosi (2007)]], pp. xx, 501.</ref><ref>[[#Hargis|Testimony of Bobby W. Hargis]], Warren Commission Hearings.</ref>{{efn|group=note|Student Billy Harper later found a fragment of Kennedy's skull on the road.<ref>[[#Summers|Summers (2013)]], p. 45.</ref>}} Secret Service Agent [[Clint Hill (Secret Service)|Clint Hill]] was riding on the [[running board]] of the car immediately behind Kennedy's limousine.<ref>[[#Bugliosi2007|Bugliosi (2007)]], p. 29.</ref> Hill testified to the Warren Commission that he heard one shot, jumped onto the street, and ran forward to board the limousine and protect Kennedy. Hill stated that he heard the fatal headshot as he reached the Lincoln, "approximately five seconds" after the first shot that he heard.<ref name="cjhill">[[#CJHill|Testimony of Clinton J. Hill, Special Agent, Secret Service]], Warren Commission Hearings.</ref> After the headshot, Mrs. Kennedy began climbing onto the limousine's trunk, but she later had no recollection of doing so.<ref name="jacqueline">[[#Jackie|Testimony of Mrs. John F. Kennedy]], Warren Commission Hearings.</ref> Hill believed she may have been reaching for a piece of Kennedy's skull.<ref name="cjhill"/> He jumped onto the limousine's bumper, and he clung to the car as it exited Dealey Plaza and sped to [[Parkland Memorial Hospital]]. After Mrs. Kennedy crawled back into her seat, both Governor and Mrs. Connally heard her repeatedly saying: "They have killed my husband. I have his brains in my hand."<ref name="johnconnally"/><ref name="nellieconnally">[[#MsConnally|Testimony of Mrs. John Bowden Connally, Jr]], Warren Commission Hearings.</ref><ref>[[#Bugliosi2007|Bugliosi (2007)]], p. 42.</ref> Bystander [[James Tague]] received a minor wound to the cheek—either from bullet or concrete curb fragments—while standing by the triple underpass.<ref>[[#Sabato|Sabato (2013)]], p. 221.</ref> Nine months later, the [[Federal Bureau of Investigation|FBI]] removed the curb, and spectrographic analysis revealed metallic residue consistent with the lead core in Oswald's ammunition.<ref name="newsweek 112814">[[#behind|Holland (2014)]]</ref> Tague testified before the Warren Commission and initially stated that he was wounded by either the second or third shot of the three shots that he remembered hearing. When the commission counsel pressed him to be more specific, Tague testified that he was wounded by the second shot.<ref>[[#Tague|Testimony of James Thomas Tague]], Warren Commission Hearings.</ref> Summary: Please note that all contributions to Christianpedia may be edited, altered, or removed by other contributors. If you do not want your writing to be edited mercilessly, then do not submit it here. You are also promising us that you wrote this yourself, or copied it from a public domain or similar free resource (see Christianpedia:Copyrights for details). Do not submit copyrighted work without permission! Cancel Editing help (opens in new window) Discuss this page