Newly released FBI records, totaling approximately 10,000 pages, shed new light on the aftermath of the assassination of Senator Robert F. Kennedy in 1968. Among the revelations is the story of a man who, after the assassination, issued death threats against the Kennedy family and nearly got close to the airplane carrying Kennedy’s body. Initially, the man was reported to be just 100 yards from the aircraft, but later details showed he was arrested at a nearby bar. Identified as William Frederick Crosson, he had been threatening the FBI, the Secret Service, and the Kennedy family both at the airport and at the arrest site, according to a report from June 6, 1968.
Robert F. Kennedy was assassinated on June 5, 1968, shortly after giving a speech at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles, following his victory in the California primary. He succumbed to his injuries on June 6. The shooter, Sirhan Sirhan, a 24-year-old at the time, was convicted for the crime and sentenced to life imprisonment. Sirhan, now 81, has been incarcerated for over five decades.
The extensive records, brought to public attention by Tulsi Gabbard, director of national intelligence, reveal the chaotic response of FBI field offices nationwide as they investigated various tips and reports following Kennedy’s assassination, as reported by the New York Post. Sirhan Sirhan, who was born in Jerusalem and moved to the United States in 1957, was found to have a militant stance on Palestinian rights. His motivations were further confirmed by handwritten notes found in his Pasadena home.
One note dated May 18, 1968, described his determination to assassinate Kennedy: “My determination to remove RFK is becoming more of an unshakeable obsession. RFK must be disposed of like his brother was.” This chilling reference was to John F. Kennedy, Robert’s elder brother, assassinated in 1963.
In Sirhan’s possession, authorities also discovered notes targeting Arthur Goldberg, the US Ambassador to the United Nations, stating, “Ambassador Goldberg must die die die. Goldberg will be illiminated (sic).” Goldberg, a key figure in the drafting of UN Security Council Resolution 242 to resolve the Arab-Israeli conflict, had resigned weeks after Kennedy’s assassination.
Among the more unusual pieces of information in the documents was the testimony from members of a tour group that visited Israel just a month before Kennedy’s death. According to the FBI records, these tourists reported hearing rumors of Kennedy being shot weeks before the assassination occurred. Some even mentioned hearing about assassination attempts in Milwaukee and Nebraska.
As the FBI pursued every possible tip, agents extensively interviewed members of this group following the assassination, underscoring the widespread panic and confusion in the immediate aftermath of the event. These newly uncovered documents add another layer of complexity to the historical narrative of Robert F. Kennedy’s assassination, offering insights into a turbulent period marked by political violence and intense public anxiety.
Original Source: https://www.livemint.com/news/us-news/rfk-files-reveal-shocking-weirdest-details-threat-to-kill-kennedys-family-unshakeable-obsession-11745026829788.html
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Publish Date: 2025-04-19 07:16:00
