</s>LA 56-156 arrived and the Senator was removed. Another ambulance also came and PAUL SHRADE and the other victims were removed. It was then that the Los Angeles Police Department arrived in force, isolating the area. He stated that previously there were several officers in the area ... He recalls that when the shooting occurred, someone made the comment that either he, she, they were getting away. He commented that either the she, she and they were dressed in a polka dot dress in the meeting, he noticed Causarian dressed the kitchen help appeared to be Spanish-Americans. He was shown a photograph of SIRIAN BISHARAH SIRIHAN and the he had held the Senate spoke to the Senate of the Senate Kennedy, the Senate of Temple of the Shooting of Senator Kennedy, the stage area from which Senator KENNEDY spoke had seven permanent chairs on it. Several of the chairs, to the Senator's the stage are also on the audience were vacant. As the Senator addressed the audience, the audience was vacant. The Senator 3 inches - 5 feet 6 inches tall, 130 - 115 pounds, swarthy complexion, and dressed in blue jeans and a white "m" shirt the Senate stage and the occupied one of the permanent chairs the one on the stage and He occupied one to the permanent bears an extremely close resemblance to STIRIAN BIISHARA SIRISHAN and in his opinion could be identical to him. He started that at this speech many newsmen were present and that he that certain that films were made of the speech, and that perhaps a review of those films would identify the individual as described above. - 287 - 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary  
The documents detail accounts from multiple witnesses and officials regarding the assassination of Senator Robert F. Kennedy at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles on June 5, 1968. Key events include the arrival of ambulances and law enforcement, descriptions of the shooting scene, witness testimonies about the suspect (identified as SIRIHAN BISHARAH SIRIHAN), and post-assassination activities. Witnesses such as Paul Shrade, Jack Heeger, William Herford, and Harold Hughes provided details on the timeline, physical descriptions of individuals present, and observations of the suspect’s actions. The documents also reference media coverage, security measures, and interactions between hotel staff, police, and journalists. FBI investigations compiled witness statements, photographs, and descriptions of suspects, including a woman in a polka-dot dress and a man with a yellow press badge.  

Key People  
- **SIRIHAN BISHARAH SIRIHAN**: Identified as the suspect involved in the assassination.  
- **PAUL SHRADE**: A witness who assisted in subduing the suspect.  
- **JACK HEEGER**: Former journalist associated with Carl Byoir and associates, present at the Ambassador Hotel post-assassination.  
- **WILLIAM HERFORD**: Messenger for Rocket Messenger Service, described the shooting sequence and witnessed the suspect being restrained.  
- **PAUL GREEN HOUSTON**: Reporter for *The Los Angeles Times*, observed Senator Kennedy’s injuries and the suspect in the kitchen.  
- **HAROLD KUGHES**: Political editor who heard popping sounds and saw a man with a revolver in the kitchen.  
- **TIFFANY JONAS**: Campaign worker at the Ambassador Hotel, encountered security issues and later learned of an unrelated shooting involving Erwin Stroll.  
- **DONNA JOSEPH**: Witness near the Embassy Room exit, reported gunshots and confusion in the kitchen area.  
- **JOHN RODMAN JUSTICE**: Server in the Embassy Room who described a suspicious couple making a phone call before disappearing.  
- **GABOR KADAR**: Hotel employee who entered the kitchen disguised as a cook, witnessed the shooting, and identified Sirhan Bishara Sirhan.  
- **ARTHUR KEVIN**: Radio broadcaster noted sounds resembling firecrackers and confirmed the shooting but did not see the suspect.  
- **KAREN KLEIN**: Campaign worker mentioned a group of singers near the podium but no direct connection to the assassination.  
- **THOMAS LITTLEWOOD**: Chicago Sun-Times correspondent described being in the Colonial Room, hearing three shots, and observing chaos as individuals fled the area.  
- **DAVID MURRAY** and **ROOSEVELT GRIER**: Restrained the suspect after the shooting.  
- **JAMES LOWE**: Kennedy campaign associate mentioned a last-minute change in Kennedy’s exit plan to the Colonial Room.  
- **THAD HEATH**: Kennedy campaign member reportedly saw someone resembling Sirhan at Temple Isaiah.  
- **RICHARD LUBIC**: Event attendee and observer noted the assassin’s position and actions during the shooting.  
- **AUGUSTUS MALLARD**: Hotel guard identified an individual in the foyer but later confirmed it was a reporter.  
- **SHERRY MARKS**: Campaign volunteer mentioned seeing newspaper photos of Sirhan but not at the hotel.  
- **JOHN MARSHALL**: Radio announcer referenced a girl in a polka dot dress shouting "We've shot him."  
- **MRS. WINNIE THERESA MARSHALL**: Relative of Paul Benedict, provided unrelated details about her brother’s background.  

Key Locations  
- **Ambassador Hotel**: Primary location for the assassination and subsequent events.  
- **Embassy Room**: Where Senator Kennedy was shot; witnesses attempted to enter but were blocked by security.  
- **Colonial Room (Press Room)**: Site of media coverage and initial observations of the shooting.  
- **Kitchen**: Where the suspect was seen with a revolver, and where Senator Kennedy was later found.  
- **Central Receiving Hospital/Midway Hospital**: Mentioned as locations for medical treatment following the shooting.  
- **Grand Ballroom**: Site of RFK’s speech and the assassination.  
- **Fire escape** at the Ambassador Hotel: Where Gerie McCarthy observed the shooter.  

Key Events  
- **Assassination Timeline**: Shots fired around midnight; Senator Kennedy was taken to the hospital on a stretcher.  
- **Witness Accounts**: Multiple individuals described the suspect’s appearance, actions, and interactions with hotel staff and police.  
- **Security Response**: Law enforcement arrived promptly, subdued the suspect, and transported him for arrest.  
- **Media Coverage**: Journalists documented the scene, including the senator’s condition and the suspect’s capture.  
- **Post-Assassination Activities**: Witnesses reported confusion, crowd reactions, and subsequent medical treatment for victims.  
- **Kennedy’s Speech**: Senator Kennedy gave a speech at the Ambassador Hotel on June 5, 1968, followed by the shooting in the kitchen area.  
- **Identification of Suspect**: Gabor Kadar identified Sirhan Bishara Sirhan as the shooter, corroborated by multiple witnesses.  
- **Evacuation of the Ballroom**: Police ordered people to leave after the shooting, removing balloons from the crowd.  

Key Organizations  
- **Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)**: Conducted interviews and gathered witness statements.  
- **Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD)**: Responded to the shooting and secured the scene.  
- **Media Outlets**: *The Los Angeles Times*, *Baltimore Afro-American Newspaper*, NBC, KHJ-TV, and others covered the event and provided eyewitness accounts.  
- **Kennedy for President campaign headquarters**: Involved in security measures and crowd control at the hotel.  
- **Compton for Kennedy Committee**: Affiliated with James R. Menefield, who was present at the Ambassador Hotel on June 5, 1968.

RFK Declassified Files

62-hq-587_sec_027_ser_947_only-part_2_of_5.pdf

Document Summary

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