John Hinckley Jr., who attempted to assassinate President Ronald Reagan in 1981, has condemned the recent assassination attempt on Donald Trump.
Hinckley wrote on X on Wednesday, sparking a wave of sarcastic responses“Violence is not the way to go. Give peace a chance.”
Former President Trump was shot in the ear at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, last Saturday.
Corey Comperatore, a 50-year-old former fire chief, was killed while protecting his family from the gunfire, and two other men were seriously injured.
The shooter, Thomas Matthews Crooks, was killed by snipers shortly after he began firing.
The Secret Service has faced significant criticism from lawmakers for allowing Crooks, 20, to target Trump from a rooftop about 150 yards from the stage.
Hinckley, 69, was released from prison in 2022 after serving 41 years for his attempt to assassinate Reagan outside the Washington Hilton Hotel on March 31, 1981.
The shooting seriously injured Reagan and left press secretary James Brady permanently paralyzed. A Secret Service officer and a police officer were also injured.
At the time of the shooting, 25-year-old Hinckley was experiencing acute psychosis and aimed to impress actress Jodie Foster, with whom he had become obsessed after seeing her in ‘Taxi Driver’.
Hinckley was found not guilty by reason of insanity and was sent to a psychiatric hospital. He began visiting his parents’ home in Williamsburg, Virginia, in the 2000s and was allowed to move in with his mother in 2016 after his mental illness was found to be in remission.
According to the terms of his release, Hinckley cannot drink alcohol, use drugs, or own a gun. He is also prohibited from contacting Foster, his victims, or their families.
After his mother died in July 2021, he moved into an apartment with his cat. A year later, court officials and mental health experts deemed oversight no longer necessary.
After his release from supervision, Hinckley expressed “true remorse” for his attempt on Reagan’s life in an interview with CBS, saying, “I just want them to know that I am sorry for what I did.”
Hinckley has since focused on painting and folk music, though several venues canceled his performances earlier this year. In March, he told WTNH, “I want people to know that I’m coming in peace, I stand for peace now. I know I’m known for an act of violence, but I’m a completely different person than in 1981.”
