Assassination of John F. Kennedy President Kennedy as his motorcade continued down Elm Street. About 80% of the witnesses recalled hearing three shots. A minority of the witnesses recognized the first gunshot they heard as weapon fire, but there was hardly any reaction to the first shot from a majority of the people in the crowd or those riding in the motorcade. Many bystanders later said that they heard what they first thought to either be a firecracker or the backfire of one of the vehicles shortly after the President had begun waving. Although some close witnesses recalled seeing the limousine slow down, nearly stop,
Timeline of the John F. Kennedy assassination but is denied in both instances. September 30, 1963: Lee Oswald purchases a bus ticket using the alias Mr. H. O. Lee that leaves Mexico City for Laredo, Texas at 0830 on October 2, 1963. October 3, 1963: Oswald arrives in Dallas and spends the night at the YMCA. October 4, 1963: Governor Connally meets with President Kennedy at the White House. Oswald applies for a job at Padgett Printing but is not hired because of a poor recommendation by the owner of Jaggars-Chiles-Stovall. Oswald returns to stay at the Paine's residence in Irving, Texas for the weekend. October 7,