President Reagan shot

Historical Context Note

Lucas Paul Richert (University of Saskatchewan)
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On 30 March, President Reagan was shot and seriously wounded in Washington, D.C. Reagan was hit by one of the six shots fired. The bullet bounced off the bullet-proof limousine and entered the President’s chest, lodging itself an inch from his heart. Reagan won plaudits for his heroics in the immediate aftermath of the shooting. He walked into George Washington University Hospital under his own power. Moreover, Reagan joked with hospital staff as he was being treated. His staff leaked to the press everything that had been said and done. The media coverage was resoundingly favourable. Also seriously wounded in the attack were a Secret Service agent, a policeman, and Press Secretary James Brady. John Hinkley Jr., a mentally unstable drifter, was arrested on the scene. He declared that he…

167 words

Citation: Richert, Lucas Paul. "President Reagan shot". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 01 October 2008 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/stopics.php?rec=true&UID=3726, accessed 19 March 2024.]

3726 President Reagan shot 2 Historical context notes are intended to give basic and preliminary information on a topic. In some cases they will be expanded into longer entries as the Literary Encyclopedia evolves.

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