John Hinckley Jr.

Não sabia que o rapaz que tentou matar Ronald Reagan em 1981 era obcecado por Taxi Driver e pela Jodie Foster. Agora tudo faz sentido.

The youngest of three children, Hinckley was born in Ardmore, Oklahoma, on May 29, 1955. The family moved several times, first to Texas, then to Colorado. A well-adjusted, privileged child, as a teenager Hinckley became withdrawn and obsessed with public figures, including John Lennon. In 1976 Hinckley left home for Hollywood, hoping to become a famous songwriter.

In Hollywood, Hinckley saw Martin Scorsese's film "Taxi Driver" at least 15 times. A confirmed loner, he apparently identified strongly with the Robert DeNiro character Travis Bickle. In the film, Travis is infatuated with Cybill Shepherd's Betsy, a political campaign worker who rejects him after he takes her to see a porn film. To regain Betsy's attention, Bickle plans, but fails, to assassinate the candidate she works for. Bickle then shifts gears, obsessively devoting himself to protecting 12-year-old prostitute Iris, played by Foster. He decides to shoot Iris' pimp, thereby ensuring his status as a hero to Iris and the media.

On March 30, 1981, John Hinckley Jr. set out to win actress Jodie Foster's heart. As "the greatest love offering in the history of the world," the 25-year-old attempted to assassinate Ronald Reagan outside the Washington Hilton hotel. Though flanked by administration members, police officers, and Secret Service agents, Reagan was shot under the left arm. The bullet malfunctioned and failed to explode on impact, seriously wounding but not killing Reagan.

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