John Hinckley Jr. Extends Wishes to Jodie Foster, 45 Years After 1981 Reagan Shooting Attempt

John Hinckley Jr. has issued a measured statement regarding Jodie Foster, nearly half a century after attempting to assassinate President Ronald Reagan in a misguided effort to capture the actress's affection.

During an appearance on the "Mark Joseph Show", Hinckley expressed his current sentiment towards Foster without the intensity that characterised his actions decades earlier. "I just wish Jodie Foster well," he said. "I don't really see her movies, but I wish her well, and I know she's doing quite well. And that's all I can say is just, I wish Jodie well, and I hope she has a good life."

The 1981 Assassination Attempt

On 30 March 1981, Hinckley, then 25, waited outside the Hilton Hotel in Washington, D.C., where President Reagan was scheduled to emerge. When the president appeared amongst a crowd of onlookers, Hinckley fired all six shots from his Röhm revolver. The shooting wounded Reagan (a bullet ricocheted off his limousine and struck him in the chest), alongside several staff members and Secret Service agents. Labour official Alfred Antenucci subdued Hinckley seconds after the shooting, aided by agent Dennis McCarthy.

Foster, then only 18 years old, was already an established performer with credits including "Taxi Driver" and "Freaky Friday" to her name. Hinckley had stalked the actress while she attended Yale, conducting what would become his final and most violent attempt to win her attention.

Hinckley's Own Account

When asked by host Mark Joseph what he intended to achieve through the assassination, Hinckley was candid about his delusional motivations. "I wanted to have a union with Jodie Foster and live the rest of my life with her," he explained. "Of course, those were delusional notions. But I was believing those things at the time, so the best outcome would have been a union with Jodie Foster."

He elaborated on his confused expectations of what might follow the attack. "I thought she would, after things settled down, join me wherever I was," Hinckley said. "I wasn't sure if I was gonna be in jail or the hospital or what after things settled down. I had this notion that she was gonna join me wherever I was."

Federal court proceedings resulted in a not guilty verdict on all 13 charges against Hinckley, determined under the legal standard of insanity. The case became a pivotal moment in discussions around mental illness, criminal responsibility and threat assessment in the United States.