how did martin luther king jr die

Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated by a gunshot while standing on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee, on April 4, 1968, and was pronounced dead shortly afterward at a nearby hospital. He was 39 years old at the time of his death.

What happened

• King was in Memphis to support a strike by Black sanitation workers when he stayed at the Lorraine Motel.

• At about 6:01 p.m. Central time, he was struck by a single rifle shot while standing on the second-floor balcony outside his room.

• The bullet entered his right cheek, damaged his jaw and spine, and caused fatal injuries; he was pronounced dead at St. Joseph’s Hospital at 7:05 p.m.

Who killed him

• Investigations concluded that James Earl Ray, an escaped convict, fired the shot that killed King using a high-powered rifle from a nearby rooming house.

• Ray later pleaded guilty to King’s murder in 1969, though he subsequently tried to recant and suggested conspiracies; official investigations have upheld the conclusion that he fired the fatal shot.

Aftermath and impact

• News of his assassination sparked grief and anger, leading to riots and uprisings in many U.S. cities in the days that followed.

• King’s death became a turning point that accelerated federal action on civil rights and solidified his legacy as a symbol of nonviolent struggle for racial justice.

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