John Hinckley Jr Condemns Violence Following Attempt on Donald Trump's Life

**Washington, D.C.** – John Hinckley Jr, who infamously attempted to assassinate President Ronald Reagan in 1981, recently spoke out against violence in the wake of an attempted assassination on former President Donald Trump. In a social media post on Wednesday, Hinckley urged for peace, writing, "Violence is not the way to go. Give peace a chance." His statement was met with a mix of bemused and ironic reactions online.

The post followed an attack on Trump at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday. A 20-year-old gunman, Thomas Matthew Crooks, opened fire, wounding Trump in the right ear, killing a rally-goer, and injuring two others before being shot dead by security officers. Trump is set to accept the Republican nomination for the 2024 presidential race at the party’s national convention in Milwaukee later today.

Hinckley, now 69, was unconditionally released in 2022 after spending 41 years in custody or under supervision for his attempt on Reagan's life. He did not elaborate further on his post but has previously expressed remorse for the 1981 attack, which seriously injured Reagan and left White House press secretary James Brady permanently paralyzed. A police officer and a secret service agent were also wounded in the incident.

Since his release, Hinckley has sought to rebuild his life as a folk musician and painter. In a March interview with a Connecticut radio station, he stated, "I stand for peace now." At the time of the assassination attempt, Hinckley, then 25, was suffering from acute psychosis and was driven by an obsession with actress Jodie Foster, stemming from her role in the film "Taxi Driver."

Hinckley was found not guilty by reason of insanity in 1982 and was ordered to remain in a psychiatric hospital. A judge ruled in 2016 that he could be released under certain conditions, which were lifted unconditionally in 2022, as he was no longer considered a threat.

For more information, you can read the original article [here](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/oct/04/john-hinckley-trump-assassination-attempt).

**Washington, D.C.** – John Hinckley Jr, who infamously attempted to assassinate President Ronald Reagan in 1981, recently spoke out against violence in the wake of an attempted assassination on former President Donald Trump. In a social media post on Wednesday, Hinckley urged for peace, writing, "Violence is not the way to go. Give peace a chance." His statement was met with a mix of bemused and ironic reactions online.

The post followed an attack on Trump at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday. A 20-year-old gunman, Thomas Matthew Crooks, opened fire, wounding Trump in the right ear, killing a rally-goer, and injuring two others before being shot dead by security officers. Trump is set to accept the Republican nomination for the 2024 presidential race at the party’s national convention in Milwaukee later today.

Hinckley, now 69, was unconditionally released in 2022 after spending 41 years in custody or under supervision for his attempt on Reagan's life. He did not elaborate further on his post but has previously expressed remorse for the 1981 attack, which seriously injured Reagan and left White House press secretary James Brady permanently paralyzed. A police officer and a secret service agent were also wounded in the incident.

Since his release, Hinckley has sought to rebuild his life as a folk musician and painter. In a March interview with a Connecticut radio station, he stated, "I stand for peace now." At the time of the assassination attempt, Hinckley, then 25, was suffering from acute psychosis and was driven by an obsession with actress Jodie Foster, stemming from her role in the film "Taxi Driver."

Hinckley was found not guilty by reason of insanity in 1982 and was ordered to remain in a psychiatric hospital. A judge ruled in 2016 that he could be released under certain conditions, which were lifted unconditionally in 2022, as he was no longer considered a threat.

For more information, you can read the original article [here](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/oct/04/john-hinckley-trump-assassination-attempt).