Who Killed John Lennon?

People often search on the internet, “Who Killed John Lennon?” “Mark David Chapman murdered John Lennon. He shot the Beatles star outside the Dakota in New York City. This took place on December 8, 1980.

Chapman waited in the archway that evening. Lennon and his wife, Yoko Ono, had come back from a recording session. Chapman shot as the Beatles star walked past him.

Chapman used a .38-caliber revolver. He shot Lennon four times. All the shots hit Lennon’s back and shoulder.

Lennon was rushed to Roosevelt Hospital. Doctors tried to save his life. They declared him dead upon arriving there. Lennon was only 40 years old at the time.

Chapman was arrested right there by the police. He did not try to escape. He stayed behind and read The Catcher in the Rye.

Chapman pled guilty to the crime of second-degree murder. He got a 20-year jail sentence.

Killer	Mark David Chapman
Date of murder	December 8, 1980
Location	The Dakota, New York City
Weapon	.38 Special revolver
Shots fired	5
Shots that hit	4
Lennon’s age at death	40
Chapman’s age at shooting	25
Sentence	20 years to life

Man, Who Killed John Lennon

Mark David Chapman was the man who murdered John Lennon. He was a 25-year-old former security guard from Hawaii. Mark was a fanatical fan of The Beatles. He idolized John Lennon but detested his life style.

Chapman arrived in New York with a well thought out plan. He waited outside The Dakota for hours before carrying out his crime. Actually, earlier that same day, he managed to get Lennon’s autograph on an album.

How did the attack happen?

After recording, John and Yoko arrived at the Dakota at about 10:50 p.m., where Chapman had taken position in an archway, and shot Lennon while he was passing.

How Many Times Was John Lennon Shot?

He was shot five times. Four shots were fired at his back and shoulder, while one bullet did not hit its target but instead went to light that was placed above his head.

The bullets were hollow-point bullets fired from a .38 Special revolver. One bullet pierced his aorta causing profuse bleeding, and he died when he was admitted to Roosevelt Hospital.

Aftermath and Punishment

The police arrested Chapman at the crime scene. In June 1981, Chapman pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and was sentenced to serve 20 to life in jail.

Chapman has requested for his release several times. His requests were denied by the boards every time.

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