Hinckley shot Reagan after the President gave a speech in Washington, DC on March 30, 1981. It was widely reported that he wanted to impress Jodie Foster, the actress who played in the film Taxi Driver, because he was obsessed with her.
Hinckley was granted convalescent leave from the hospital in 2016. This meant he could live with his mother in Williamsburg, Virginia full-time, with restrictions and monthly check-ups. In 2021, his mother died, and he was allowed to continue living outside the hospital in the same area, but with limitations to his movements.
The Department of Behavioral Health reportedly believes he has been rehabilitated and told the court last year that he posed “low risk for future violence.”
Hinckley is going into the music business, and has recorded and released his original songs. He calls it a “Redemption Tour.” He was scheduled to give a concert at the Market Hotel in Brooklyn on July 8, but the venue cancelled it due to security risks. The concert was sold out.
“After 41 years 2 months and 15 days, FREEDOM AT LAST!!!” Hinckley, now 67, tweeted.
“A big thank you to everyone who helped me get my unconditional release,” he wrote in a Twitter post on June 1. “What a long strange trip it has been. Now it’s time to rock and roll.”