The assassination of John Lennon outside his New York home shocked the world and prompted an international outpouring of grief.
Key Facts
- Date of murder
- 8 December 1980
- Location
- The Dakota, Manhattan, New York City
- Weapon used
- .38 Special revolver, five hollow-point bullets
- Bullets that struck Lennon
- 4 out of 5 fired
- Time pronounced dead
- 11:15 p.m. at Roosevelt Hospital
- Shooter's sentence
- 20 years to life imprisonment
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Mark David Chapman, an American who identified as a Beatles fan, harbored deep envy and rage toward Lennon's lifestyle, viewing him as a hypocrite. Inspired by the Holden Caulfield character in J. D. Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye, Chapman planned the murder over several months, traveling to New York City to carry it out.
On the night of 8 December 1980, Chapman fired five hollow-point bullets from a .38 Special revolver at Lennon as he and Yoko Ono returned to The Dakota. Four bullets struck Lennon in the back. He was transported by police car to Roosevelt Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival. Chapman remained at the scene reading The Catcher in the Rye until his arrest.
Lennon's murder triggered a worldwide outpouring of grief, with vigils held globally and crowds gathering at the Dakota and Roosevelt Hospital. He was cremated the following day at Ferncliff Cemetery. Ono requested ten minutes of silence worldwide on 14 December. Chapman pleaded guilty and received a sentence of 20 years to life, with parole repeatedly denied since he became eligible in 2000.