Who shot JFK? Classified assassination files released. Who is Jack Ruby? What to know
The assassination of President John F. Kennedy has long been mired with conspiracy theories over the number of shooters and who they were, but do the newly released files shed any new revelations on who shot JFK?
President Donald Trump’s administration released the last trove of unredacted, classified files on the 1963 assassination of JFK, his brother Senator Robert F. Kennedy, and civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. Whether the records bare any new information remains to be seen, as historians will need time to assess the flood of new records.
The new files are now available to the public on the National Archives’ website.
Who shot JFK?
John Fitzgerald Kennedy (May 29, 1917-November 22, 1963) was the 35th president of the United States, taking the office on Jan. 20, 1961.
JFK was assassinated in Dallas, Texas while traveling in a presidential motorcade alongside his wife on Nov. 22, 1963 at 12:30 p.m. He was shot once in the back and once in the head and pronounced dead 30 minutes later.
Lee Harvey Oswald was arrested for the murder of JFK.
Who was Lee Harvey Oswald?
Oswald (Oct. 18, 1939-Nov. 24, 1963) was a 24-year old U.S. Marine veteran at the time he shot and killed JFK from a sixth-floor window of the Texas School Book Depository building in Dallas on Nov. 22, 1963. He was subsequently arrested for murdering Dallas police officer J.D. Tippit on a local street and charged with the assassination of JFK.
Oswald denied the assassination, claiming he was a “patsy” — the fall guy.
Two days after the assassination of JFK, Oswald was shot and killed by Jack Ruby on live television in the basement of the Dallas Police Headquarters.
Who was Jack Ruby?
Jack Leon Rubenstein was an American night club owner that shot and killed Oswald on Nov. 24, 1963 — just two days after Oswald had shot and killed JFK. He was convicted and sentenced to death, although it was overturned on an appeal.
Ruby became sick, diagnosed with cancer and died of a pulmonary embolism on Jan. 3, 1967.
Despite the many conspiracy theories over the years surrounding the JFK assassination, and the coincidental death of Oswald while in police custody right after the assassination, the FBI maintained after investigating, that Oswald acted alone.
This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Who shot JFK? Classified assassination files released. Who is Jack Ruby? What to know
