John F. Kennedy (JFK), the 35th president of the United States, was assassinated on November 22, 1963, in Dallas, Texas. The official investigation led by the Warren Commission concluded that Lee Harvey Oswald, a former U.S. Marine, acted alone in shooting the president from a sniper's perch on the sixth floor of the Texas School Book Depository. Oswald fired three shots, two of which struck Kennedy, including a fatal headshot. The motivation for Oswald's actions remains unclear, and the Warren Commission's report did not definitively explain why Oswald assassinated JFK. Oswald was killed two days later by nightclub owner Jack Ruby during a jail transfer.
Over the decades, many conspiracy theories emerged challenging the official account. Some theories suggest Oswald was framed or that other shooters were involved, including people associated with the mafia, the CIA, or anti-Castro Cuban factions, but none of these claims have been conclusively proven. The CIA had tense relations with JFK due to failed operations like the Bay of Pigs invasion, which some speculate contributed to motive theories. Others highlight organized crime's conflict with JFK's administration, particularly through efforts by his brother Robert Kennedy to combat the mafia.
In summary, JFK was assassinated by Lee Harvey Oswald, who acted on unknown motives, according to the official investigation. Multiple alternative theories persist, but none have emerged with definitive evidence to overturn the conclusion that Oswald was the lone assassin.
