Tracing JFK’s final moments 1 Parkland Hospital DALLAS 10 Trade Mart 2 Dealey Plaza 2km 1.25 miles 1 Nov 22, 1963 11:40am: U.S. President John F. Kennedy and wife Jackie arrive at Dallas airport 11:45am: JFK and Jackie take back seat of open-topped Lincoln Continental limousine, Texas Governor John Connally and wife Nellie sit in jump seats 2 12:22pm: Motorcade reaches downtown Dallas 3 12:29pm: Motorcade drives into Dealey Plaza. Moved by size of crowd, Nellie Connally remarks, “No one can say Dallas doesn’t love and respect you, Mr. President.” “You sure can’t,” replies Kennedy 4 12:30pm: Three shots ring out from 6th floor of Texas School Book Depository 5 Shot deflected by oak tree – ricochets off pavement, slightly injuring bystander James Tague 6 7 Two shots hit Kennedy, one of which also wounds Connally 8 Bullet hits Kennedy, entering back of neck and exiting through throat. Wound is not fatal It then hits Connally, entering right side of back, travels down through chest and exits below right nipple Bullet then passes through Connally’s right wrist and enters left thigh, causing superficial wound “Magic bullet” – Warren Commission exhibit CE-399 – later found in pristine condition 9 Second bullet to hit Kennedy causes fatal head wound 10 12:36pm: Presidential car arrives at Parkland Hospital 1pm: Kennedy pronounced dead 2:38pm: Lyndon B. Johnson sworn in as president aboard Air Force One Presidential limousine SS-100-X 12:47pm: Lee Harvey Oswald (bottom left) takes cab to his apartment. Leaves minutes later with pistol 1:15pm: Oswald stopped by police officer J. D. Tippit (bottom right). Tippit shot dead. Oswald seen running with pistol in his hand 6.5mm Mannlicher Carcano rifle 1:22pm: Police find rifle and three cartridge cases on 6th floor of Depository 1:50pm: Oswald arrested at Texas Theatre. Two days later he is murdered while in police custody by mafia-linked Jack Ruby Texas School Book Depository 1978 investigation by U.S. Congress concludes fourth shot was fired from grassy knoll – implying Oswald didn’t act alone ELM STREET Railway bridge HOUSTON STREET Oak tree DEALEY PLAZA James Tague MAIN STREET 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 CONSPIRACY THEORIES Cuba: Kennedy killed by right-wing Cuban exiles after botched CIA-mounted Bay of Pigs invasion in 1961 to remove Fidel Castro. Failure blamed on JFK’s refusal to provide U.S. air support Mafia: Mob leaders, outraged at administration’s crusade against organised crime, have Kennedy killed to remove his brother, Attorney General Robert Kennedy, from power U.S. government: Disgruntled CIA / Pentagon faction kills Kennedy for going soft on communism, and sacking CIA director following Bay of Pigs fiasco 1967-69: New Orleans District Attorney Jim Garrison charges Clay Shaw with conspiring to assassinate Kennedy with help of Oswald and David Ferrie. Shaw is acquitted Sources: Warren Report, U.S. Congress Select Committee on Assassinations, “The Day JFK Died” by the Dallas Morning News Pictures: Newscom, Dallas Police, Robert H. Jackson © GRAPHIC NEWS