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

NUMBER OF SHOTS

Witness accounts of the number of shots varied widely: most reported three, some cited two, and others reported four to six. The Commission noted a single shot produces multiple distinct noises (muzzle blast, bullet shock wave, target impact) that can be misperceived as separate shots, and tall Dealey Plaza buildings may have distorted sound. Physical evidence, including three spent cartridges on the sixth floor proven to be fired from the assassination rifle, and bullet fragments from at least two (possibly three) separate bullets, led the Commission to conclude three shots were fired, though it acknowledged the possibility of only two shots with witnesses misperceiving multiple noises from a single shot, and potential subconscious bias from widespread press reporting of a three-shot conclusion.

THE SHOT THAT MISSED

Given that one shot passed through the President’s neck and likely struck the Governor, a second shot hit the President’s head, no other shots struck the limousine, and three total shots were fired, the Commission concluded one shot missed the vehicle and its occupants. Evidence was inconclusive as to whether the first, second, or third shot was the one that missed.

The First Shot

The Commission evaluated the possibility that the first shot missed the limousine. Supporting this view, Secret Service Agent Glen A. Bennett reported hearing an initial shot followed by a second that hit the President, and Governor Connally testified he heard a shot, turned, and was struck by a second bullet without seeing the President hit. Mrs. Connally’s testimony that she saw the President clutch his throat after the first shot, followed by her husband being hit, also aligned with a missed first shot, as she may have witnessed the President’s reaction concurrent with the second shot. However, other evidence supported the first shot hitting the President: Special Agent Hill’s testimony indicated the President was struck by the first shot, photographer James W. Altgens’ photo (taken at approximately Zapruder frame 255, 2 seconds after the neck shot) captured the President reacting to the first impact, and Phillip L. Willis’ photo (taken at approximately frame 210) aligned with the timing of the shot that struck both men. The Commission noted Governor Connally may have had a delayed reaction to being hit, and did not realize his wrist and thigh injuries until the next day, which could explain his recollection of not being struck by the first shot.