Exact Time of the Shooting
John F. Kennedy was shot in Dallas, Texas, on November 22, 1962, at approximately 12:30 p.m. Central Standard Time (CST). The shots were fired as his motorcade traveled on Elm Street in Dealey Plaza. This time is documented by the National Archives, the Warren Commission, and subsequent reinvestigations. The abbreviation CST is used historically for the time zone in Dallas in 1963, equivalent to UTC-6. The following timeline breaks down the sequence of events surrounding this moment.
Source Consistency and Timekeeping Notes
Multiple official records align on 12:30 p.m. CST as the moment the first shots were heard by witnesses and captured by contemporaneous recordings where applicable. Radio and television timestamps, as well as Dallas Police radio logs, consistently reference this time in post-event reports.
Detailed Chronology of Events in Dealey Plaza
The motorcade route, street configuration, and timing of the fatal shots have been reconstructed through forensic analysis, film and photographic evidence, and interviews. The sequence below reflects the most commonly cited chronology by official investigations.
| Event | Time (CST) | Verified Detail | Source Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Motorcade departs Love Field | 11:38 a.m. | Scheduled departure from airport | Official itinerary |
| Arrive at Stemmons Freeway | 11:50 a.m. | Travel toward downtown Dallas | Radio logs |
| Turn onto Houston Street, then Elm | 12:25 p.m. | Motorcade approaches Dealey Plaza | Witness testimony |
| Shooting begins | 12:30 p.m. | Three shots fired; JFK and Governor Connally wounded | Warren Commission |
| Motorcade reaches Parkland Hospital | 12:35 p.m. | Emergency medical response initiated | Hospital logs |
| President pronounced dead | 1:00 p.m. | At Parkland Hospital Trauma 1 | Medical records |
| Lee Harvey Oswald arrested | 7:7 p.m. (same day) | Detained at Theater and later police headquarters | Arrest reports |
Immediate Aftermath and Official Response
In the minutes following the shooting, motorcade agents rushed Kennedy to Parkland Hospital. Local authorities launched a manhunt in Dealey Plaza, securing the Texas School Book Depository building. Dallas Police radio traffic from 12:30 p.m. onward reflects the rapidly escalating emergency. Within hours, an official investigation was initiated to determine the origin of the shots and the identity of the shooter.
Subsequent Investigations and Time Consensus
The Warren Commission concluded in 1964 that Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone and reaffirmed the 12:30 p.m. timeline for the shooting. The House Select Committee on Assassinations (HSCA) in 1979 also accepted 12:30 p.m. as the time of the fatal shots, while adding the probability of a second shooter. Modern reinvestigations by the National Archives and digital analysis of film and audio continue to reference 12:30 p.m. as the central timestamp for the event.
Key Figures and Locations at the Time
At approximately 12:30 p.m., the presidential limousine was in Dealey Plaza, specifically on Elm Street between Houston Street and the overpass. Key individuals in the vehicle included Governor John Connally and his wife Nellie Connally. Witnesses on the ground and from nearby buildings reported seeing the limousine slow or stop at the moment of the attack, contributing to later investigations of the sequence of shots.
Summary of Verified Timing Details
The confirmed timestamp for the shooting is 12:30 p.m. CST on November 22, 1963. This timing is supported by multiple lines of evidence, including official inquiry reports, Dallas Police logs, and media documentation. The table below summarizes key timing milestones for clarity.
| Attribute | Verified Detail | Source Type |
|---|---|---|
| Shooting time | 12:30 p.m. CST | Warren Commission; National Archives |
| Hospital arrival | 12:35 p.m. CST | Parkland Hospital logs |
| President pronounced dead | 1:00 p.m. CST | Medical records |
| Oswald arrested | 7:07 p.m. CST | Arrest reports |
FAQ
Reader questions
Why is the time reported as 12:30 p.m. in most official records?
This time is derived from the convergence of witness accounts, radio logs, and early official reports. While some individual recollections and secondary sources vary slightly, the 12:30 p.m. timestamp is the one most consistently cited by authoritative investigations.
Did the time of the shooting change across investigations?
No material change in the reported time of the shooting occurred between the Warren Commission and later reviews. Both major investigations used 12:30 p.m. as the time of the fatal shots, though the HSCA suggested a likelihood of a second shooter, which did not alter the timestamp.
How was the time of the shooting recorded at the scene?
Contemporary radio communications, Dallas Police log entries, and early news broadcasts anchored the event to approximately 12:30 p.m. Many film and still photographs taken at or near that moment further corroborate this timing.
Are there time zone considerations to keep in mind?
Yes. Dallas was in the Central Time Zone in November 1963, which is UTC-6. References to UTC or GMT may shift the hour by six hours depending on whether daylight saving time was in effect (it was not in late November).