Man Who Tried To Assassinate President Reagan To Play Gig In Naugatuck

NAUGATUCK, CT — John Hinckley Jr., a man famous for shooting then-President Ronald Reagan and stalking actress Jodie Foster in the early 1980's, is set to perform a musical gig in Naugatuck over Easter weekend.

Hinckley announced this week on his Twitter page he is scheduled to perform at the Hotel Huxley, located on Old Firehouse Road in Naugatuck, at 7 p.m. on March 30.

Advertised as "an intimate evening of inspiring acoustic artists," Hinckley will be joined by musician Black Richard for the March 30 performance. Doors will open at 7 p.m. and all ages are permitted.

Tickets cost $20 but are also available for $15 if purchased in advance through Venmo or the Cash App, according to advertising posted by Hinckley. He also urged followers looking for tickets to contact the Hotel Huxley directly through Facebook or Instagram.

Hinckley, who has launched a singer-songwriter career since his release from federal custody, was previously scheduled to perform at the Space Ballroom in Hamden in July 2022, however the performance was canceled amid heavy criticism.

According to the Connecticut Post, Hinckley's attempt to assassinate Reagan in 1981 derived from his obsession with the 1976 film "Taxi Driver" and its star, Jodie Foster, who was attending Yale University in New Haven during the fall of 1980.

Hinckley followed Foster to New Haven and made multiple calls to her dorm room, and also sent her a number of letters, the CT Post reports. Though Reagan survived the assassination attempt outside a hotel in Washington, D.C., he was injured as a result and Hinckley was quickly arrested.

A June 2022 interview with CBS Mornings noted Hinckley was "a mentally ill 25-year-old" at the time of the shooting whose restrictions were gradually lifted after "30 years in a psychiatric facility." A judge granted him full freedom earlier that month.

In the interview, Hinckley apologized for the assassination attempt against Reagan, as well as to the Reagan family, Foster and the others injured during the incident. He also noted he was glad he did not succeed.

"I feel badly for [the Reagan family]," Hinckley said during the interview. "I have true remorse for what I did. I know that they probably can't forgive me now, but I just want them to know that I am sorry for what I did."