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

Ruby’s Main Street Ramp Entry Account

Three Dallas policemen testified that approximately 30 minutes after his arrest, Ruby told them he had walked to the top of the Main Street ramp from the nearby Western Union office and descended the ramp as Lieutenant Pierce’s police car emerged into Main Street. This information surfaced only days later because the officers did not promptly report it. Ruby refused to discuss his means of entry with other investigators on the day of his arrest, but in a December 21 interview and in a sworn deposition after his trial, he repeated the same explanation.

Pre-Shooting Event Timeline

Minutes before Oswald appeared in the basement, Ruby was at the Western Union office on Main Street, approximately 350 feet from the top of the Main Street ramp. A money order time stamp and receipt establish that the order was accepted for transmission at almost exactly 11:17 a.m., after which Ruby was observed departing in the direction of the police building. Video tapes show Lieutenant Pierce’s car cleared the crowd at the foot of the ramp 55 seconds before the shooting, and Ruby standing at the foot of the ramp on the Main Street side. The shooting occurred very close to 11:21 a.m., as confirmed by a clock in motion pictures of Oswald, Oswald’s jail departure records, and ambulance records. Commission Exhibit No. 2635 shows Ruby in the basement immediately before the shooting.

Witness Testimony on Ruby’s Entry Route

The testimony of two witnesses partially corroborates Ruby’s claim that he entered via the Main Street ramp. James Turner, a WBAP-TV Fort Worth employee, testified that approximately 30 seconds before the shooting, while standing near the railing on the east side of the ramp, he observed a man he was confident was Jack Ruby moving slowly down the ramp about 10 feet from the bottom. Two other witnesses testified they thought they saw Ruby on the Main Street side of the ramp before the shooting. The Main Street ramp was the most direct route from the Western Union office, requiring about 1 minute to reach the top and 20-25 seconds to descend.