</s>was quite crowded and the complexity of the situation was 1 2 increased by the presence of television cameras and cables. 3 At the time of the shooting, he placed himself in 4 the vicinity of the doors loading into the kitchen, however, 5 he had not yet entered the kitchen. He estimated he was two 6 or three paces from the door. He recalled hearing what he had 7 first thought-was the pop of two balloons but then in looking 8 into the kitchen area he observed smoke. He immediately ran into the Kitchen area and headed toward the direction of the 9 10 smoke. He recalled seeing a man lying on the floor who he 11 thought was dead (probably Paul Schrade). He then saw 11 Senator Kennedy lying on on the Floor and paused momentarily over 13 the Senator. 14 He related that at the time he felt there was 15 nothing he could do for the Senator and so he turned and went 16 in the directionof a group of men scuffling with the man. 17 He heard someone shouting. "Get the gun, get the gun." At 18 that time, he observed Rosie Grier, along with other men, 19 holding a suspect. He saw the gun in the suspect's hand and 20 dove across the table in an effort to grab the gun. He got 21 his hand on the gun but Rosie Grier had better control of it. 22 Rosie removed the gun from the suspect? had hand and gave it to 23 him. Johnson stated he kept the gun on his possession until 24 his arrival at Rampart Station at which time he turn the gun 25 over to a police officer named McGann (Sgt. McGann, Homicide 26 Division). Form 618 (R-3-4) 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary:  
The document contains witness accounts of Robert F. Kennedy’s assassination at the Ambassador Hotel on June 5, 1968, detailing chaotic scenes in the kitchen area following the shooting. Witnesses described Paul Schrade lying on the floor (initially thought dead), RFK collapsed with visible injuries, and a struggle involving a suspect holding a gun. Rosie Grier assisted in subduing the suspect, later identified as Sirhan Bishara, while Johnson retrieved the gun and handed it to Sgt. McGann. Multiple shots were reported, with some accounts noting up to eight rounds fired. Witnesses also mentioned confusion among attendees, mistaken gunfire for fireworks or balloons, and police intervention. Fragmented testimonies reference a "polka dot girl" allegedly present at the scene, conflicting accounts of injuries, and law enforcement discussions about potential conspiracies. The text includes references to unrelated topics such as a rape case and administrative forms, which are included as they appear in the original document.  

Key People:  
- Robert F. Kennedy (RFK): Senator shot during his speech at the Ambassador Hotel.  
- Sirhan Bishara/Sirhan Sirhan: Suspect identified by witnesses, described as a male with dark curly hair and light blue clothing; later confirmed as the perpetrator.  
- Paul Schrade: Identified as a man lying on the floor in the kitchen area.  
- Rosie Grier: Assisted in subduing the suspect and retrieving the gun.  
- Johnson: Witness who retrieved the gun from the suspect and turned it over to Sgt. McGann.  
- Joseph LaHive, Stanley Kawalec, Gabor Kadar: Witnesses describing the scene, RFK’s movements, and interactions with the suspect.  
- Jesse Umruh (possibly Rosie Grier): Involved in the struggle with the suspect.  
- Muriel C. Lee, Suzanne Locke Talen, Gary Smith: Additional witnesses providing accounts of the event.  
- Frank Funnell, Jenae Unrul, George Davis, Bill Turner: Individuals referenced in discussions about potential conspiracies or connections to the case.  

Key Locations:  
- Ambassador Hotel (Ambassador Ballroom, kitchen area, Colonial Room, pantry area): Primary location of the assassination and subsequent events.  
- Stage area and rear exit: Where RFK exited after his speech.  
- Double doors leading to the kitchen: Described as a point of entry for witnesses.  
- Beverly Hills: Mentioned in context of Time Magazine’s office.  
- Northern California: Referenced as a location for a missing preacher linked to the case.  

Key Events:  
- Assassination of Robert F. Kennedy at the Ambassador Hotel on June 5, 1968.  
- Struggle with the suspect (Sirhan Bishara) in the kitchen area involving multiple individuals, including Rosie Grier and Johnson.  
- Retrieval of the gun by Johnson and its handover to Sgt. McGann.  
- Witnesses’ accounts of hearing gunfire mistaken for fireworks or balloons.  
- Confusion among bystanders regarding the shooter’s identity.  
- Discussions about potential conspiracies or plots involving multiple individuals.  
- Legal proceedings referencing pleas of not guilty by a suspect and federal rulings on evidence handling.  
- References to Sirhan Sirhan using specialized ammunition requiring procurement from sporting goods stores.  
- Travel to New Orleans for an inquiry related to the Kennedy case.  

Key Organizations:  
- Police (Sgt. McGann, Sgt. Collins, SGT. MacArthur): Involved in securing the suspect and managing the scene.  
- Security personnel at the Ambassador Hotel (Stanley Kawalec): Reported on crowd control and the shooting.  
- LAPD (Los Angeles Police Department): Mentioned in law enforcement investigations.  
- FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation): Referenced in discussions about evidence handling and potential conspiracies.  
- Time Magazine, Hollywood Citizen News: Media outlets mentioned in context of reporting or investigating the case.  
- Correlation, New Orleans Parish investigators: Entities referenced in travel and inquiry discussions.

RFK Declassified Files

56-la-156_sec_001_ser_a-l-part_5_of_7.pdf

Document Summary

Try AI Search