US in mourning as sniper assassinates President Kennedy

HT’s report a day after John F Kennedy was shot dead, a watershed moment in US history

- Agencies

President John F Kennedy died in Dallas on November 22, 1963, from an assassin’s bullet. The 46-year-old President was riding in a motorcade with his wife, Jackie, when an assassin fired three shots, striking him in the head.

He was rushed to hospital and given a blood transfusion but died shortly afterwards, at 1pm local time (0030 IST Saturday). Texas Governor John Connally was also shot, in the head and wrist, and lay injured in hospital.

Mr Kennedy lived for 25 minutes after being struck by the unknown assassin's rifle fire. A late NBC report said the President was shot once in the head. Police were reported to have taken possession of a rifle of a non-American make. A youth was reported to have been picked up.

Vice-president Lyndon Johnson assumed the full constitutional responsibilities of the presidency immediately on Mr Kennedy's death and before taking an oath of office.

Hunt for assassin

FBI chief Edgar Hoover ordered an all-out manhunt for the assassin or assassins. Police believed the fatal shots were fired by a white man. The murder weapon was believed to be a 30-30 high calibre rifle.