</s>became an information center and telephones were temporarily installed. At 8 a.m. day watch officers began relieving morning watch officers at the hotel. For the remainder of the morning, routine security was maintained at the hotel .. By 10:05 a.n.m ., relief of all morning and mid- watch officers was completed. At 12:15 a. m ., the staging area outside the hotel was completed, At 12.15 a m . ,, the staffing area of sixteen officers was deactivated and a small force consisting of sixteen officials and a policewoman commanded by a sergeant remained at the Hotel. At 2:45 p.m .., the commander of the Emergency Control Center instructured Sergeant C. C. Nagle to deactivate the entire security force. By 3:10 p. m .., on June 5, 1968, the detail at the hotel was completely secure. Central Receiving Hospital. At 12:28 a.am ., members of the press and sight-seers began con- verging on Central Receiving Hospital en masse. Officer G. F. Tinch, assigned to the hospital detail at the hospital had been informed of the shooting and was requesting assistance for security. At 12.30 a.M .,, the ambulance bearing Senator Kennedy arrived preceded by two officers who had driven from, the hotel ., A passage way was cleared through the mob around the stretcher and Kennedy was placed in Treatment Room #2. A large crowd began milling in the corridor outside the room. Officers W. W. Ambrecht and F. Mena were assigned to THE treat- ment room to prevent unauthorized persons from entering. A -24-4-1 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary  
On June 5, 1968, following the assassination of Senator Robert F. Kennedy at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles, security operations were implemented at Central Receiving Hospital and Good Samaritan Hospital to manage crowds, protect Kennedy’s condition, and secure evidence. Rafer Johnson surrendered the assassination weapon to police after being escorted to Rampart Station. Sirhan Sirhan was arrested at the hotel, interrogated, and transferred to Parker Center for further investigation. Witness accounts detailed Sirhan’s movements on June 4, including interactions at Bob’s Big Boy Restaurant, Pasadena City College, and the hotel’s Palm Court Room. Post-arrest, Sirhan was medically examined, booked under a felony charge, and subjected to interviews while held in Central Jail. Kennedy was pronounced dead at 1:44 a.m., with his body moved to Good Samaritan Hospital for autopsy. Security personnel from the Metropolitan Division and Intelligence Division managed access to Kennedy’s treatment room and documented medical procedures. The Los Angeles Police Department coordinated emergency command operations, including media access and evidence preservation.  

The investigation into Sirhan Sirhan’s involvement revealed his purchase of a gun traced to Albert L. Hertz, who had bought it on August 10, 1965. Hertz’s wife passed the weapon to their daughter Dana Westlake, who sold it to George Erhard in Pasadena, confirmed by officers at Nash’s Department Store. Adel Sirhan, Munir’s brother, contacted police and identified him as the suspect. A search of the Sirhan family home uncovered notebooks with anti-Kennedy writings, gun cleaning equipment, and a photo of Munir. The FBI found fingerprints and handwriting matches on items linked to Sirhan. Additional evidence included a torn gun label, latent fingerprints in a 1956 De Soto (linked via DMV records), and anti-Kennedy writings discovered in a trash box outside Sirhan’s home. Sirhan’s background included migration from Jerusalem to the U.S., employment history, education, and associations with cults like the Rosicrucian Order and Theosophical Society. His political views were critical of U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East.  

Conspiracy allegations against Sirhan were investigated but largely refuted. Witness accounts of individuals seen with him or linked to political groups were found to be false or based on unreliable testimony, with polygraph results confirming deception in several cases. Investigations into connections with Middle Eastern figures, Communist organizations, and Arab student groups yielded no conclusive evidence linking Sirhan to broader conspiracies. Key individuals such as Khabar Khan, John Antoine Khoury, Estelle Stearns, Jose Duarte, Mike Vejvodda, and Walter Crowe were scrutinized but ultimately cleared of involvement. The Fez Restaurant and Baccs Hall were examined for potential ties to Sirhan’s activities, though no evidence supported such links.  

Key People  
- **Robert F. Kennedy**: Senator assassinated at the Ambassador Hotel.  
- **Sirhan Sirhan (Munir Sirhan)**: Identified as the suspect; arrested at the hotel, interrogated, and detained in Central Jail.  
- **Rafer Johnson**: Possessed the assassination weapon and surrendered it to police.  
- **William Barry**: Kennedy’s bodyguard who confronted security officers at Central Receiving Hospital.  
- **Frederick Dutton**: Kennedy aide involved in disputes with security personnel.  
- **Ethel Kennedy**: Mrs. Kennedy, who attempted to enter her husband’s treatment room.  
- **Lieutenant R. Tackaberry**: Oversaw security at hospitals and mediated conflicts with Kennedy staff.  
- **Officer G. F. Tinch**: Assigned to secure Central Receiving Hospital.  
- **Dr. Thomas Noguchi**: Conducted the autopsy of Kennedy at Good Samaritan Hospital.  
- **Albert L. Hertz**: Registered owner of the gun used in the assassination.  
- **Dana Westlake**: Daughter of Hertz, who passed the gun to George Erhard.  
- **George Erhard**: Sold the gun to Munir Sirhan.  
- **Adel Sirhan**: Munir’s older brother, who contacted police after the shooting.  
- **Judge Joan Dempsey Klein**: Arraigned Sirhan in Division 40.  
- **Lieutenant A. S. Heggie**: Ordered securing of the De Soto vehicle for investigation.  
- **Sandra Serrano**: Reported seeing a woman in a polka dot dress running after the shooting; her account disproven by polygraph results.  
- **Khabar Khan**: Iranian national working at Kennedy Campaign Headquarters; alleged interactions with Sirhan refuted.  
- **John Antoine Khoury**: Cleared after admitting to a second job.  
- **Estelle Stearns**: Claimed to have seen Sirhan with a gun at the headquarters; story debunked.  
- **Jose Duarte**: Cuban anti-Castro leader accused of arguing with someone resembling Sirhan; later identified as Roza Jalalipour.  
- **Mike Vejvodda**: Linked to Sirhan via informant but no connection established.  
- **Walter Crowe, Jr.**: Admitted Communist with ties to Sirhan; polygraph indicated knowledge of Sirhan’s intent to kill Kennedy.  

Key Locations  
- **Ambassador Hotel**: Site of the assassination; security operations and suspect arrest occurred here.  
- **Central Receiving Hospital**: Where Kennedy was initially treated; crowd control and medical procedures managed here.  
- **Good Samaritan Hospital**: Kennedy transferred for further treatment and autopsy.  
- **Rampart Station**: Police station where Sirhan was detained and interrogated after arrest.  
- **Parker Center**: Headquarters for emergency command operations and news conferences.  
- **Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department**: Custody and arraignment of Sirhan.  
- **Division 40, Los Angeles County**: Arraignment location.  
- **Nash’s Department Store, Pasadena**: Where Munir Sirhan was identified by George Erhard.  
- **Pasadena Police Department**: Where Adel Sirhan and Munir Sirhan were interviewed.  
- **Vierte1’s Automotive Services**: Impoundment site for the De Soto.  
- **Fez Restaurant**: Linked to Sirhan’s brother and alleged incidents; no evidence of conspiracies.  
- **Baccs Hall**: Site of left-wing meetings; Sirhan’s vehicle observed nearby but no attendance confirmed.  

Key Events  
- **June 5, 1968, 12:28 a.m.**: Crowds gathered at Central Receiving Hospital; security personnel managed access to Kennedy’s treatment room.  
- **June 5, 1968, 12:40 a.m.**: Sirhan Sirhan arrested at the Ambassador Hotel and transported to Rampart Station.  
- **June 5, 1968, 3:15 a.m.**: Officer W. Wighton photographed Kennedy’s wounds during surgery at Good Samaritan Hospital.  
- **June 5, 1968, 1:44 a.m.**: Kennedy pronounced dead; body moved to Morgue Room for autopsy.  
- **June 5–6, 1968**: Security operations at hospitals and hotels included crowd control, evidence preservation, and media access coordination.  
- **June 5, 1968, 2:30 a.m.**: Sirhan transferred to Parker Center for interrogation and further investigation.  
- **June 5, 1968**: Sirhan arraigned in Division 40; officers searched his home and vehicle, recovering evidence linking him to the assassination.  
- **June 6, 1968**: Additional evidence found in a trash box outside Sirhan’s home, including anti-Kennedy writings and a torn gun label.  
- **June 5–7, 1968**: Search of Sirhan’s vehicle revealed spent bullets, his driver’s license, and latent fingerprints.  
- **1948–1968**: Sirhan’s migration from Jerusalem to the U.S., employment history, education, and associations with cults.  
- **Polka Dot Dress Incident**: Sandra Serrano claimed a woman in a polka dot dress yelled “We shot him” after the assassination; story disproven by polygraph results.  
- **Khabar Khan Investigation**: Khan’s alleged interactions with Sirhan at the headquarters refuted by witnesses and evidence.  
- **John Antoine Khoury Allegation**: Cleared after admitting to a second job.  
- **Estelle Stearns’ Claims**: Her assertion of seeing Sirhan with a gun debunked by witnesses and polygraph results.  
- **Jose Duarte’s Meeting**: False claim of an argument with someone resembling Sirhan; actual individual identified as Roza Jalalipour.  
- **Mike Vejvodda’s Association**: Informant linked him to Sirhan, but no connection found.  
- **Walter Crowe’s Polygraph Test**: Revealed Crowe knew of Sirhan’s intent to kill Kennedy, though influence deemed improbable.  
- **Fez Restaurant Investigation**: No evidence tied Sirhan to conspiracies or incidents at the restaurant.  

Key Organizations  
- **Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD)**: Coordinated security at hospitals, managed suspect arrest, and conducted interrogations.  
- **Metropolitan Division**: Oversaw crowd control and medical access during Kennedy’s treatment.  
- **Intelligence Division**: Assisted in securing evidence and monitoring suspect activities.  
- **Emergency Control Center (E.C.C.)**: Directed command operations and news conferences following the assassination.  
- **Rosicrucian Order**: Sirhan was a correspondence member; attended one meeting in 1968 but dropped for unpaid dues.  
- **Theosophical Society**: Sirhan requested books related to this cult and showed interest in its teachings.  
- **Pasadena City College (PCC)**: Sirhan’s educational background, including interactions with students and faculty.  
- **First Baptist Church and Seventh Day Adventist Church**: Religious affiliations of Sirhan’s family; Sirhan described as an atheist.  
- **Peace and Freedom Party**: Linked to Jose Duarte’s meeting.  
- **Communist Party**: Investigated via Walter Crowe’s affiliations.  
- **Arab Terrorist Group "Al Pathah"**: Mentioned in discussions between Sirhan and Walter Crowe.

RFK Declassified Files

56-la-156_sec_001_ser_06-1968-02-1969-part_2_of_9.pdf

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