Report of the President's Commission on the Assassination of President John F. Kennedy

Police Sealing of Building

The exact time the Depository Building was sealed off was difficult to determine, but the earliest estimates still permitted Oswald to exit by 12:33 p.m. Police Officer W.E. Barnett, assigned to the corner of Elm and Houston for the motorcade, testified that immediately after the shots he checked the rear fire escape before returning to the corner, where a sergeant instructed him to identify the building. After learning from a construction worker (likely Howard Brennan) that shots had been fired from a Depository window, Barnett posted himself at the front door while a sergeant covered the rear. Barnett estimated about 3 minutes elapsed between the last shot and his guarding the front door, noting that “people going in and out” during this period. Sergeant D.V. Harkness stated the building was not sealed off at 12:36 p.m. when he radioed about witness Amos Euins. Inspector Herbert V. Sawyer entered the building at 12:34 p.m., rode the elevator to the fourth floor, returned to the street about 3 minutes later, and then directed Sergeant Harkness to station two patrolmen at the front door and seal the back door—this directive coming no earlier than 12:37 p.m. Special Agent Forrest V. Sorrels of the Secret Service testified he returned to the Depository about 20 minutes after the shooting, found no officers at the rear door, and entered without identifying himself.

Discovery of Oswald’s Absence

Although Oswald likely left the building at about 12:33 p.m., his absence went unnoticed for at least half an hour. Truly, returning with Patrolman Baker from the roof, observed the police questioning the approximately 15 warehouse employees and noticed Oswald was not among them. After confirming Oswald was missing, Truly retrieved Oswald’s address, phone number, and description from his employment application card, which listed the Paine home in Irving. Truly gave this information to Captain Fritz, who was on the sixth floor at the time. Truly estimated he provided this information 15-20 minutes after the shots, but this was likely no earlier than 1:22 p.m.—the time the rifle was discovered. Fritz believed he learned of Oswald’s absence only after the rifle was found, a recollection supported by the fact that Truly found Fritz in the northwest corner of the floor near where the rifle was located.