As always, thank you for hanging out talking about John Hinckley Jr. with me today.

On March 30, 1981, outside the Washington Hilton Hotel, 25-year-old John Hinckley Jr. opened fire on U.S. President Ronald Reagan. Hinckley’s bullets struck four people, including Reagan himself, who was hit in the chest but survived.

Investigators soon uncovered a disturbing motive: Hinckley had become obsessed with actress Jodie Foster after seeing her in the film Taxi Driver. Believing he could impress her, he planned the assassination attempt to gain her attention.

At trial, Hinckley’s defense argued he suffered from severe mental illness. In 1982, he was found not guilty by reason of insanity and committed indefinitely to St. Elizabeths Hospital in Washington, D.C.

After more than three decades of treatment and supervision, Hinckley was granted full release in 2022, sparking renewed debate about mental health, fame, and accountability in high-profile crimes.