Jack Ruby Shoots Dead The John F Kennedy Shooter, On Today's History 1963

Lee Harvey Oswald shot by Jack Ruby (Source: Wikimedia Commons)

JAKARTA - On November 24, 1963, in the basement of the Dallas police station, the suspected killer of US President John F. Kennedy, Lee Harvey Oswald, was shot dead by Jack Ruby, the owner of a Dallas nightclub. Ruby shot Oswald in the stomach at close range and the incident was recorded live on television.

Citing Britannica, Kennedy was shot dead during a motorcade on November 22, 1963. He climbed into an open car and drove through the streets of downtown Dallas. First lady Jacqueline Kennedy was at her side, along with Texas Governor John Connally and his wife. They waved at the enthusiastic welcoming crowd along the parade route.

As the vehicle passed the Texas School Book Storage Building, Lee Harvey Oswald allegedly fired three shots from the sixth floor, wounding President Kennedy and wounding Governor Connally. Kennedy was pronounced dead 30 minutes later at Dallas Parkland Hospital.

Less than an hour after the shooting, Lee Harvey Oswald killed a policeman who questioned him on the street. About 30 minutes after that, he was arrested at a movie theater by the police. Oswald was formally indicted on November 23, 1963 for the assassination of President Kennedy and a cop named JD Tippit.

John F. Kennedy with his wife on arrival in Dallas, Texas, USA (Source: Wikimedia Commons)

Vice President Lyndon Johnson, who was three cars behind President Kennedy in the motorcade, was sworn in as the 36th President of the United States two hours after the shooting. He took the presidential oath of office aboard Air Force One while on the runway at Dallas Love Field airport. The swearing-in was witnessed by about 30 people, including Jacqueline Kennedy, who was still wearing her husband's bloodstained clothes.

Oswald was then taken to the basement of the Dallas police headquarters on his way to a safer prison. Crowds of police and press with television cameras gathered to watch his disappearance. As Oswald walked into the room, Jack Ruby emerged from the crowd. He fired one shot from a 38 revolver and killed Oswald.

Lee Harvey Oswald was secretly buried in Fort Worth, Texas, on November 25, 1963. Secret Service agents, FBI agents, and a strict police guard kept watch, seven journalists who served as volunteer pallbearers carried Oswald's coffin.

Before the coffin is lowered, the lid is opened so the family can see Oswald's face one last time. On the same day, the eyes of the US public were riveted by Kennedy's funeral carriage.

Upon shooting Oswald, Ruby was immediately arrested. He claimed that anger over Kennedy's assassination was the motive for his actions. Some called him a hero, but he was still charged with first degree murder.

Jack Ruby (Source: Wikimedia Commons)

Jack Ruby, also known as Jacob Rubenstein, owns a strip club and dance hall in Dallas. Ruby's trial for her murder began in February 1964.

Lawyer Melvin Belli argued that Ruby was not in a good mental state when she shot Oswald. The following month, the jury found Ruby guilty of murder and that she was sentenced to death.

Ruby appealed and in October 1966 a Texas court overturned the sentence. Before a follow-up hearing was held to present new testimony, Ruby died of a pulmonary embolism shortly after being diagnosed with cancer.

Although Ruby has always admitted to committing the murders alone, some have speculated that she was part of a conspiracy. Many say he killed Oswald to keep him from speaking. Such theorists often point to Ruby's alleged links to organized crime.

*Read other information about TODAY's HISTORY or read other interesting articles from Putri Ainur Islam.

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