On December 8, 1980, Mark David Chapman shouted out to John Lennon as he and his wife, Yoko Ono, were making their way back to their apartment in New York City’s The Dakota.
Chapman, a follower of the Beatles, asked Lennon to sign his album Double Fantasy. He had, however, been considering killing Lennon for a number of months after hearing him say that the Beatles were more well-known than Jesus.
Later, Chapman acknowledged that he had committed the crime for his own benefit. He fired four shots, striking Lennon twice in the back and twice in the shoulder, leaving him bleeding out as he watched from a distance.
Lennon was brought to the hospital, but because of his excessive blood loss, he was declared dead shortly after.
Lennon and Yoko Ono were working on a song in a studio just hours prior to the shooting.
Lennon discussed his time with the Beatles and the recent release of the album he co-wrote with Ono in interviews conducted prior to his passing.
He said he wished he would pass away before his wife since he wouldn’t know how to live without her.
The media quickly broke the news of Lennon’s passing, and fans lamented the passing of a legend.
At the scene of Lennon’s shooting, about 100,000 people came for a vigil, and 20,000 people gathered in Liverpool, where he was born.
After pleading guilty to a charge of second-degree murder, Chapman received a sentence of 20 years to life in prison.
As of 2020, he had already received 11 denials, and it is likely that he will serve the remainder of his life behind bars in a maximum-security facility.
Two bullets had entered Lennon’s shoulder, and two more had entered his back, according to the postmortem results.
The medical examiner who performed Lennon’s autopsy, Dr. Elliot Gross, concluded that the musician passed away nearly instantly from shock and substantial blood loss.
One of the bullets that entered Lennon’s back exited his body after passing through his chest and left lung. A second bullet entered his neck via his left lung and lodged there.
The tragic tragedy of John Lennon’s passing rocked the entire world. A gifted musician, composer, and peace campaigner lost her life as a result of Mark David Chapman’s acts.
Lennon is one of the most influential musicians of all time, and his music continues to carry on his legacy.
Who was John Lennon?
English singer, songwriter, musician, and peace campaigner John Winston Ono Lennon was also a musician.
As the founding member, co-songwriter, co-lead vocalist, and rhythm guitarist of the Beatles, he achieved international fame.
On film and in interviews, Lennon’s creative output demonstrated the rebelliousness and sardonic wit of his music, poetry, and artwork.
His songwriting collaboration with Paul McCartney continues to be the most popular in history.
Lennon, a Liverpool native, got embroiled in the skiffle craze when he was a teenager. He founded the Quarrymen in 1956, and in 1960 they became the Beatles.
He was initially the group’s de facto leader, sometimes referred to as “the wise Beatle,” a position that was ultimately transferred to McCartney.
