What Happened
James Leavelle was a veteran Dallas homicide detective. He had been assigned to escort Oswald during his transfer from the city jail. He was wearing a distinctive tan suit and Stetson hat when the shooting occurred.
When Jack Ruby fired the fatal shot, Leavelle later recalled: “when Ruby fired and Oswald screamed ‘Oh!’ and slumped to the floor, I had to go down with him because I was handcuffed to him” This dramatic moment was captured in one of the most famous photographs in American history. The photo showed Leavelle in his tan suit being pulled down as the handcuffed Oswald collapsed.
Leavelle’s Background
Leavelle was a seasoned law enforcement officer. He had previously survived the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. Despite his attempt to protect Oswald during the transfer, he was unable to prevent Ruby from getting close enough to shoot the suspected assassin.
James Leavelle later died at the age of 99. He had become an unwitting part of one of the most significant moments in American history. This was through his proximity to these tragic events in Dallas.
