JFK's motorcade rushes to hospital after Dallas shooting

On November 22, 1963, President John F. Kennedy was fatally shot while riding in a motorcade in Dallas, Texas. Newly discovered 8 mm color home film footage captured the moments following the assassination, showing the frantic rush of the motorcade to Parkland Memorial Hospital. The footage, recorded by Dale Carpenter Sr., begins with the motorcade traveling down Lemmon Avenue and transitions to the urgent drive along Interstate 35 after the shots were fired. The film includes a brief glimpse of Secret Service Agent Clint Hill, who heroically jumped onto the back of the limousine to protect the president and First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy. The film remained with Carpenter's family until it was recently auctioned for $137,500 by RR Auction in Boston. The buyer has chosen to remain anonymous. This footage is significant as it provides a rare visual account of the immediate aftermath of the assassination, which has been a pivotal moment in American history. The auction house described the film as offering a “gripping sense of urgency and heartbreak,” reflecting the chaos and despair of that tragic day. James Gates, Carpenter's grandson, expressed his shock upon viewing the footage, which had been stored away for years. The film serves as a poignant reminder of the events that unfolded in Dealey Plaza, where Lee Harvey Oswald was later identified as the assassin. The historical context surrounding Kennedy's assassination continues to evoke deep emotional responses and remains a subject of extensive study and discussion.