Those of us who were around will never forget this day. From Bob Dearborn's The Olde Disc Jockey's Almanac...
December 8, 1980…Two months after his 40th birthday, John Lennon was murdered by Mark David Chapman, outside his home at the Dakota apartment building on the northwestern corner of 72nd Street and Central Park West in New York City. After approaching the former Beatle and calling his name, Chapman dropped into a combat stance and shot John in his chest, back and left arm. Lennon staggered into the porters' vestibule and was comforted by porter Jay Hastings, who covered him with his jacket and removed his glasses. Police were quickly summoned and took John to Roosevelt Hospital on West 59th Street. Doctors did everything they could to save him, but John Lennon was pronounced dead at 11:07 p.m. A sobbing Yoko Ono cried "Oh no, no, no, no ... tell me it's not true," and was led away in shock.
The 24-year-old Chapman remained at the scene, took out his copy of "The Catcher in the Rye" and read it until the police arrived and arrested him without incident.
Many Americans learned of the tragedy while watching ABC-TV's "Monday Night Football." Howard Cosell announced the news of the murder: "This, we have to say it, is just a football game, no matter who wins or loses. An unspeakable tragedy, confirmed to us by ABC News in New York City: John Lennon, outside of his apartment building on the West Side of New York City, the most famous perhaps of all of the Beatles, shot twice in the back, rushed to Roosevelt Hospital, dead on arrival."
After being denied parole multiple times, Lennon's killer remains in prison.
This is the way I found out too...
