Fact Check: Robert F. Kennedy was fatally shot on June 5, 1968, at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles by his assassin Sirhan Sirhan, who was convicted of first-degree murder.

Fact Check: Robert F. Kennedy's Assassination

What We Know

On June 5, 1968, Robert F. Kennedy, a prominent U.S. senator and presidential candidate, was shot at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles by Sirhan Sirhan. Kennedy had just delivered a victory speech after winning the California primary and was leaving the ballroom when he was attacked. He was pronounced dead the following day, June 6, 1968, at Good Samaritan Hospital after suffering multiple gunshot wounds (Assassination of Robert F. Kennedy).

Sirhan Sirhan, a 24-year-old Palestinian man, was apprehended at the scene and later convicted of first-degree murder on April 17, 1969. Initially sentenced to death, his sentence was commuted to life in prison in 1972 due to a Supreme Court ruling that affected capital punishment in California (Sirhan Sirhan). Sirhan's motivations were reportedly linked to his opposition to Kennedy's pro-Israel stance, which he believed harmed Palestinian interests (Sirhan Sirhan).

Analysis

The claim that Robert F. Kennedy was fatally shot by Sirhan Sirhan on June 5, 1968, is supported by multiple reliable sources. The timeline of events is well-documented, with Kennedy's assassination occurring shortly after he addressed supporters in the Ambassador Hotel's Embassy Ballroom. The details of the shooting, including the time and location, are corroborated by historical accounts and eyewitness testimonies (Assassination of Robert F. Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy Is Assassinated).

Sirhan Sirhan's conviction for first-degree murder is also well-established. His trial and subsequent sentencing were widely reported, and he has remained a figure of interest in discussions about political violence in the U.S. The conviction was based on substantial evidence, including eyewitness accounts and the weapon used in the crime (Sirhan Sirhan, Biography, Facts, & Assassination of Robert F. Kennedy).

While conspiracy theories surrounding Kennedy's assassination exist, they often lack credible evidence and are not supported by the majority of historical research. The consensus among historians and legal experts is that Sirhan acted alone in the assassination (Assassination of Robert F. Kennedy, Newly declassified files show RFK met with CIA after trip to Soviet Union).

Conclusion

The claim that Robert F. Kennedy was fatally shot on June 5, 1968, by Sirhan Sirhan, who was convicted of first-degree murder, is True. The evidence supporting this claim is robust, with consistent documentation from credible sources detailing the events of the assassination, the identity of the perpetrator, and the legal outcomes that followed.

Sources

1. Assassination of Robert F. Kennedy
2. Sirhan Sirhan
3. Robert F. Kennedy Is Assassinated
4. Biography, Facts, & Assassination of Robert F. Kennedy
5. 10000 pages of records about Robert F. Kennedy's 1968 assassination are released
6. Newly declassified files show RFK met with CIA after trip to Soviet Union
7. Behind the Picture: RFK's Assassination, Los Angeles, 1968
8. Sirhan Sirhan | EBSCO Research Starters