John Hinckley Jr, the man who shot President Ronald Reagan at the Washington Hilton in 1981, has described the recent shooting at the same hotel during a media gala attended by Donald Trump as "spooky." In an interview with TMZ published on Monday, Hinckley noted that "bad things keep happening" at the hotel and argued that it is "just not a secure place to hold big events."
Hinckley's Reaction to Saturday's Shooting
Hinckley, now 70, spoke about the incident that occurred on Saturday at the Washington Hilton, where an armed guest fired at a Secret Service agent at an interior checkpoint. The agent's ballistic vest stopped the bullet, but the White House correspondents' dinner was canceled. Hinckley told TMZ that he learned of the shooting from a news alert on his phone and immediately began watching television coverage. He expressed that it felt "spooky" to realize the shooting "took place at the same hotel as mine did."
Security Concerns Raised
Hinckley criticized the hotel's security, recalling that when he shot Reagan and three others in 1981, security was "lax." He noted that the hotel later implemented fortifications but still considers it an insecure venue for major events. The suspect in Saturday's attack, 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen, was arrested after being fired at by the Secret Service. He faces charges including attempting to assassinate the president. A manifesto attributed to Allen mocked the "insane" lack of security at the press dinner.
Historical Context
Hinckley's assassination attempt on Reagan occurred on March 30, 1981, when he shot the president outside the Washington Hilton. The attack also wounded press secretary James Brady, a police officer, and a Secret Service agent. Hinckley was found not guilty by reason of insanity in 1982 and spent decades in psychiatric care before being granted full release in 2022.
Hinckley's Life After Release
Since gaining his freedom, Hinckley has pursued a career as a folk musician and painter. In December 2024, he published a memoir titled John Hinckley Jr: Who I Really Am. After a previous assassination attempt on Trump in July 2024, Hinckley wrote on X: "Violence is not the way to go. Give peace a chance."
The Washington Hilton spokesperson stated that the hotel operated under Secret Service security protocols during Saturday's event. The incident has reignited debates about security at high-profile gatherings in the nation's capital.
