Book: Killing Reagan

Overview
Bill O'Reilly, joined by Martin Dugard, reconstructs the attempted assassination of President Ronald Reagan on March 30, 1981, as a tightly paced narrative that blends reporting, biography, and courtroom drama. The book follows the immediate chaos outside the Washington Hilton, the frantic rush to medical care, and the political fallout that unfolded in the weeks and months after the shooting. It presents the event as a hinge moment for Reagan's presidency, illustrating both the human drama of the attack and the structural responses of government, law enforcement, and the medical establishment.
The prose emphasizes scene-by-scene detail, using contemporaneous accounts, trial transcripts, and interviews to create a vivid chronological account. The authors alternate between the perspective of the president and those closest to him, and the mindset and background of John Hinckley Jr., the assailant, so the reader can grasp how a private obsession translated into public violence and national crisis.

John Hinckley Jr. and Motive
Hinckley's biography and psychological portrait are central to the narrative. The book traces his upbringing, family dynamics, and the fixation that developed after he saw the film Taxi Driver and became obsessed with actress Jodie Foster. His attempts to win her attention, coupled with apparent mental instability and poor impulse control, culminated in a plan to shoot the president as a means of gaining notoriety and capturing Foster's attention.
The legal aftermath of Hinckley's act receives sustained attention, including his arrest, the insanity defense, and the 1982 verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity. The authors describe courtroom testimony about Hinckley's delusions and psychiatric evaluations, and they outline the public outrage and policy changes that followed the verdict, including shifts in how the legal system handles cases involving mental illness.

Reagan's Injury and Recovery
Reagan's wounding and rapid evacuation to nearby hospitals form a dramatic core of the book. Medical teams worked to stabilize him after a bullet lodged in his chest, and the narrative captures the tension in the operating room and the decisions that saved his life. Attention is paid to Reagan's stoicism and quick return to a public persona, which the book portrays as pivotal to restoring national calm.
The authors also examine hints that the physical trauma had lingering consequences. They explore debates over whether the shooting and its aftermath affected Reagan's temperament, cognitive sharpness, or decision-making capacity in the years that followed. That argument underpins much of the book's claim that the assassination attempt had implications beyond the immediate scare.

Political and Historical Consequences
O'Reilly and Dugard position the assassination attempt as a moment that reshaped security practices, media coverage, and public perceptions of presidential vulnerability. The book discusses criticism leveled at the Secret Service for lapses in protection, and it traces ensuing reforms. It also situates the episode within the larger arc of Reagan's presidency, arguing that the attack produced both a rallying of public sympathy and unanticipated strains on the administration.
The narrative closes by reflecting on legacy: how a near-tragedy altered lives, prompted legal and institutional changes, and left lasting questions about how personal pathology intersects with political violence. The storytelling aims to make the historical event accessible while inviting readers to consider the human costs that extend far beyond a single headline.