John Lennon got shot by a certain Mark David Chapman on December 8, 1980, outside the Dakota apartment building in New York City. The killer had requested an autograph from the Beatles frontman, only to shoot him five times hours later.
It has been 44 years since the tragic event, and the doctor who tried to save John Lennon’s life, Dr. David Halleran, joined Banfield to recall the incident. He recounted how he desperately worked with other surgeons to save Lennon but to no avail.
Doctor David Halleran worked tirelessly to try and save John Lennon’s life after the shooting
Dr. Halleran, who is currently practicing as a surgeon in Syracuse, New York, admitted that he did not realize his patient was Lennon at first due to the urgency of the situation. He revealed that Lennon’s arrival was unusual as he was driven to Roosevelt Hospital in a police car.
He said the late singer was wearing a pair of blue jeans and a leather jacket, but it was not until 15 minutes into trying to revive him that a surgeon from the team raised the alarm. Dr. Halleran was doubtful until he saw Lennon’s ID, some films, his American Express card, a photo of him, and another of Yoko Ono’s in his pocket.
Fans react as the doctor who tried to save John Lennon’s life speaks out
Dr. Halleran’s interview has gotten almost 200,000 views on YouTube, with John Lennon fans flooding the comments to pay tribute and share their stories from that day. “I was playing basketball and knew nothing about the incident. Driving home on the freeway, the radio DJ said, ‘Some wacko emptied a gun into John Lennon tonight.’ I violently pulled over and went into shock,” someone said.
Many thanked Dr. Halleran for his service, and some colleagues in the medical practice commended his attempt at saving Lennon. “Having been a Resident MD, in trauma surgery…I feel for you. Thank you for sharing your experience,” one wrote.