Ronald A. Edmonds Edmonds joined the Associated Press in Washington in 1981 and worked there until 2009, when he retired as the AP's Senior White House Photographer. He was one of the early pioneers of the use of digital cameras in news photography, including using an experimental electronic camera to transmit to newspapers around the world the first photos of President George H.W. Bush's inauguration, forty seconds after he put his hand down after being sworn in. In 1981 Edmonds was awarded the Pulitzer Prize in spot news photography for his coverage of the assassination attempt on President Ronald Reagan's life on March
Pope John Paul II assassination attempt Pope John Paul II assassination attempt The first attempted assassination of Pope John Paul II took place on Wednesday, 13 May 1981, in St. Peter's Square in Vatican City. The Pope was shot and wounded by Mehmet Ali Ağca while he was entering the square. The Pope was struck four times and suffered severe blood loss. Ağca was apprehended immediately and later sentenced to life in prison by an Italian court. The Pope later forgave Ağca for the assassination attempt. He was pardoned by Italian president Carlo Azeglio Ciampi at the Pope's request and was deported to Turkey in June