John Hinckley Jr, the man who attempted to assassinate Ronald Reagan at the Washington Hilton in 1981, has offered an unusual perspective on Saturday's shooting at the same hotel during a Trump press dinner. In an interview with TMZ, Hinckley called it 'spooky' to learn that another shooting had occurred at the venue where he committed his own attack more than four decades ago.
The 70-year-old also suggested the hotel remained an insecure location for high-profile events. 'Bad things keep happening' at the Washington Hilton, he told the outlet, and characterized it as 'just not a secure place to hold big events.'
Saturday's incident unfolded when an armed guest fired at a Secret Service agent stationed at an interior checkpoint during the White House Correspondents Association dinner. The agent was struck in the ballistic vest but not wounded. The shooting prompted the cancellation of the gala and the evacuation of Trump, his wife Melania, and senior administration officials from the hotel.
Cole Tomas Allen, 31, was arrested after being confronted by the Secret Service. He faces charges including attempted assassination of the president.
Hinckley learned of the incident when a news alert appeared on his phone. He then watched television coverage unfold, struck by the coincidence of violence erupting at the same location where his actions in 1981 had sent shockwaves through the nation.
In March 1981, Hinckley shot Reagan with a revolver while experiencing acute psychosis. He hoped his act would gain the attention of actress Jodie Foster. The shooting also wounded Reagan's 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 receiving full release from all legal and mental health supervision in 2022.
Saturday's suspect echoed Hinckley's criticism of security at the venue. Allen's manifesto mocked what he called an 'insane' lack of security measures for the press dinner at the Washington Hilton. The hotel's security infrastructure had been reinforced following the Reagan assassination attempt, yet questions lingered about protections during large events.
A Washington Hilton spokesperson said the hotel was operating under Secret Service security protocols, with the federal agency holding responsibility for protecting the president.
Hinckley has maintained a low profile since his release, pursuing interests in folk music and painting. He published a memoir in December titled 'John Hinckley Jr: Who I Really Am.' He previously spoke publicly in 2024 after a shooting at a Trump campaign rally in Pennsylvania, posting on social media that 'violence is not the way to go.'
Author James Rodriguez: "It's unsettling that the most credible witness to the Washington Hilton's security vulnerabilities is a man who exploited them four decades ago, and nobody listened then either."
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