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On 30 March 1981, he fired six times at the President, who was leaving the Hilton Hotel in [[Washington D.C.]] Reagan suffered a serious chest wound, and also shot were the Press Secretary [[James Brady]], a police officer, and a [[United States Secret Service|Secret Service]] agent. All of them survived. After his recovery, Reagans popularity increased.
On 30 March 1981, he fired six times at the President, who was leaving the Hilton Hotel in [[Washington D.C.]] Reagan suffered a serious chest wound, and also shot were the Press Secretary [[James Brady]], a police officer, and a [[United States Secret Service|Secret Service]] agent. All of them survived. After his recovery, Reagans popularity increased.
Hinckley purchased the gun outside the District of Columbia, which has some of the most restrictive [[gun control]] ordinances in the nation.
Hinckley was tried in 1982, and found not guilty by reason of insanity. To this day he is held in a psychiatric hospital, but there is a push for his release.
Hinckley was tried in 1982, and found not guilty by reason of insanity. To this day he is held in a psychiatric hospital, but there is a push for his release.
The incident also created a national interest in [[gun control]]. Many Americans opposed gun laws that were so lax they let a man with a history of mental illness purchase a gun. Others, including the secret service agent shot by Hinkley, campaigned against the availability of cheap handguns used almost exclusively by criminals. This eventually culminated in the passage [[Brady Bill]] (named for James Brady). The bill included provisions for a mandatory waiting period before purchasing a handgun.<ref>[http://www.cs.cmu.edu/afs/cs/usr/wbardwel/public/nfalist/brady_act.txt Text of the Brady Bill]</ref>
The Democratic controlled [[House of Representatives]] and [[gun control]] [[activist]]s used the incident to press for legislation. The variance of state and local laws and lack of information sharing that allowed a man with a history of mental illness purchase a gun became the pretext for a push for new [[federal]] [[regulation]]. Many sellers and purchasers of guns were also [[NRA]] members who enthusiastically supported Reagan in 1980. Sarah and Jim Brady were invited to testify.
Timothy McCarty, the secret service agent shot by Hinkley, campaigned against the availability of cheap handguns available to criminals. This eventually culminated in the passage [[Brady Bill]] (named for James Brady). The bill included provisions for a mandatory waiting period before purchasing a handgun.<ref>[http://www.cs.cmu.edu/afs/cs/usr/wbardwel/public/nfalist/brady_act.txt Text of the Brady Bill]</ref>
<ref>[http://www.saf.org/LawReviews/Aborn1.html The Battle over the Brady Bill]</ref>
<ref>[http://www.saf.org/LawReviews/Aborn1.html The Battle over the Brady Bill]</ref>