John Hinckley Jr. addresses 1981 Reagan assassination attempt

John Hinckley Jr., the man who attempted to assassinate former U.S. President Ronald Reagan in 1981, has made a rare public appearance via a podcast interview. During his appearance on ‘The Mark Joseph Show,’ Hinckley addressed his past motivations, stating that his original goal was to achieve a ‘union with Jodie Foster’ after being inspired by her role in ‘Taxi Driver.’ He described those past intentions as delusional and stated, ‘I just wish Jodie Foster well.’

The 1981 shooting occurred outside the Washington Hilton and resulted in severe injuries to President Reagan, including a punctured lung and internal bleeding. The incident also wounded White House press secretary James Brady, Secret Service agent Tim McCarthy, and police officer Thomas Delahanty.

Hinckley was previously found not guilty by reason of mental illness and was committed to a psychiatric hospital. He was discharged in 2016 and released from all court restrictions six years later.