President Reagan Assassination Attempt – March 30, 1981 – Associated Press
U.S. President Ronald Reagan waves and then looks up before being shoved into the President's limousine by secret service agents after being shot outside a Washington hotel Monday, March 30, 1981. (AP Photo/Ron Edmonds)
U.S. President Ronald Reagan waves and then looks up before being shoved into the President's limousine by secret service agents after being shot outside a Washington hotel Monday, March 30, 1981. (AP Photo/Ron Edmonds)
President Reagan Assassination Attempt – March 30, 1981 – Associated Press
President Reagan waves, then looks up before being shoved into Presidential limousine by Secret Service agents after being shot outside a Washington hotel Monday, March 30, 1981. (AP Photo/Ron Edmonds)
President Reagan waves, then looks up before being shoved into Presidential limousine by Secret Service agents after being shot outside a Washington hotel Monday, March 30, 1981. (AP Photo/Ron Edmonds)
President Reagan Assassination Attempt – March 30, 1981 – Associated Press
U.S. President Ronald Reagan being shoved into the President's limousine by secret service agents after being shot outside a Washington hotel Monday, March 30, 1981. (AP Photo/Ron Edmonds)
U.S. President Ronald Reagan being shoved into the President's limousine by secret service agents after being shot outside a Washington hotel Monday, March 30, 1981. (AP Photo/Ron Edmonds)
President Reagan Assassination Attempt – March 30, 1981 – Associated Press
A secret service agent brandishes a submachine gun while agents and police subdue a gunman behind him after he shot President Ronald Reagan, his press secretary, a policeman and a secret service agent in Washington on March 30, 1981. The policeman lies wounded, foreground, while a White House staff member kneels over James Brady, the press secretary. (AP Photo/Ron Edmonds)
A secret service agent brandishes a submachine gun while agents and police subdue a gunman behind him after he shot President Ronald Reagan, his press secretary, a policeman and a secret service agent in Washington on March 30, 1981. The policeman lies wounded, foreground, while a White House staff member kneels over James Brady, the press secretary. (AP Photo/Ron Edmonds)
President Reagan Assassination Attempt – March 30, 1981 – Associated Press
People wait in a heavy rain outside George Washington University Hospital in Washington, March 30, 1981, on word about President Ronald Reagan's condition. Reagan was shot in the chest as he left a Washington Hotel. (AP Photo/Bob Daugherty)
People wait in a heavy rain outside George Washington University Hospital in Washington, March 30, 1981, on word about President Ronald Reagan's condition. Reagan was shot in the chest as he left a Washington Hotel. (AP Photo/Bob Daugherty)
President Reagan Assassination Attempt – March 30, 1981 – Associated Press
People wait in a heavy rain outside George Washington University Hospital in Washington, March 30, 1981, on word about President Ronald Reagan's condition. Reagan was shot in the chest as he left a Washington Hotel. (AP Photo/Bob Daugherty)
People wait in a heavy rain outside George Washington University Hospital in Washington, March 30, 1981, on word about President Ronald Reagan's condition. Reagan was shot in the chest as he left a Washington Hotel. (AP Photo/Bob Daugherty)
President Reagan Assassination Attempt – March 30, 1981 – Associated Press
Two people hang a sign on a building near the George Washington University Medical Center in Washington, March 31, 1981 where President Ronald Reagan is being treated for gun shot wounds he received on Monday in Washington. (AP Photo/Charles Tasnadi)
Two people hang a sign on a building near the George Washington University Medical Center in Washington, March 31, 1981 where President Ronald Reagan is being treated for gun shot wounds he received on Monday in Washington. (AP Photo/Charles Tasnadi)
President Reagan Assassination Attempt – March 30, 1981 – Associated Press
President Ronald Reagan and Mrs.Nancy Reagan acknowledge cheers upon arrival at the White House in Washington Saturday, April 11, 1981. At right is their daughter, Patti Davis and a left foreground is Secret Service Agent Parr, who shoved Reagan into a limousine when he was shot at 12 days ago. (AP Photo)
President Ronald Reagan and Mrs.Nancy Reagan acknowledge cheers upon arrival at the White House in Washington Saturday, April 11, 1981. At right is their daughter, Patti Davis and a left foreground is Secret Service Agent Parr, who shoved Reagan into a limousine when he was shot at 12 days ago. (AP Photo)
President Reagan Assassination Attempt – March 30, 1981 – Associated Press
President Ronald Reagan, with his arm around his wife, Nancy Reagan , waves to members of the White House staff in Washington Saturday, April 11, 1981. Reagan was released from George Washington University Hospital where he was recovering from a gun shot by a would-be assassin. (AP Photo)
President Ronald Reagan, with his arm around his wife, Nancy Reagan , waves to members of the White House staff in Washington Saturday, April 11, 1981. Reagan was released from George Washington University Hospital where he was recovering from a gun shot by a would-be assassin. (AP Photo)
President Ronald Reagan being shoved into the President’s limousine by secret service agents after being shot outside a Washington hotel Monday, March 30, 1981. (AP Photo/Ron Edmonds)
It was 40 years ago today, March 30, 1981, that President Ronald Reagan was shot and wounded in Washington, DC, in an assassination attempt. The shooting was captured by TV cameras, which were nearby as he walked out of the Washington Hilton Hotel after a speaking engagement.
President Reagan had only been in office for a little more than two months.
White House press secretary James Brady, Secret Service agent Tim McCarthy and police officer Thomas Delahanty were also wounded. Everyone survived, but Brady was left with brain damage and was permanently disabled. He died in 2014 after becoming a gun control advocate.
The gunman, John Hinckley Jr., was found not guilty by reason of insanity. Reports say he had been trying to impress actress Jodie Foster and was hoping for fame. He was sentenced to a mental care facility, but was released in 2016.
FILE – In this Nov. 18, 2003 file photo, John Hinckley Jr. arrives at U.S. District Court in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)
Reagan was injured more seriously than was known at the time. He recovered and was released from the hospital on April 11, 1981.
He remained in office until January 1989, finishing two terms in the White House. He died in 2004.
CBS News video of the assassination attempt – may be disturbing for some viewerspic.twitter.com/8zpkjVAPj8
