Fact Check: Kennedy was fatally shot on June 5, 1968, at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles moments after giving a speech celebrating his victory in California’s presidential primary.

Fact Check: "Kennedy was fatally shot on June 5, 1968, at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles moments after giving a speech celebrating his victory in California’s presidential primary."

What We Know

On June 5, 1968, Robert F. Kennedy was shot at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles shortly after delivering a victory speech for the California presidential primary. Kennedy had won the primary held on June 4, 1968, securing 46% of the votes against his opponents, including Eugene McCarthy and Hubert Humphrey (Wikipedia, Remembering Robert F. Kennedy). After his speech, which concluded around 12:10 AM PDT, Kennedy exited through a kitchen pantry area where he was shot multiple times by Sirhan Sirhan, a 24-year-old Palestinian (AP News, HISTORY). He was pronounced dead the following day, June 6, 1968 (C-SPAN Classroom).

Analysis

The claim that Kennedy was shot moments after celebrating his victory is corroborated by multiple reliable sources. The timeline of events is consistent across reports, with Kennedy's victory speech taking place shortly after midnight on June 5, followed by the shooting shortly thereafter (ABC News, LA Almanac).

The sources used in this fact-check are credible, including historical records and news articles from reputable outlets. The Wikipedia entry provides a comprehensive overview of the events surrounding Kennedy's assassination, including details about the political context and the aftermath (Wikipedia). The California Secretary of State's website also offers a dedicated section on Kennedy's legacy and the events of that night, which adds to the reliability of the information presented (Remembering Robert F. Kennedy).

Furthermore, the AP News and HISTORY articles provide eyewitness accounts and details about the shooting, reinforcing the timeline and circumstances surrounding Kennedy's assassination (AP News, HISTORY). The consistency of these accounts across various sources strengthens the credibility of the claim.

Conclusion

Verdict: True
The claim that "Kennedy was fatally shot on June 5, 1968, at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles moments after giving a speech celebrating his victory in California’s presidential primary" is accurate. The evidence from multiple reliable sources confirms that Kennedy was indeed shot shortly after delivering his victory speech, leading to his death the following day.

Fact Check: Kennedy was fatally shot on June 5, 1968, at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles moments after giving a speech celebrating his victory in California’s presidential primary.