The Shocking Truth: 5 Key Facts About Jack Ruby, The Man Who Shot Lee Harvey Oswald

The assassination of President John F. Kennedy in November 1963 was a seismic event, but the subsequent murder of the alleged assassin, Lee Harvey Oswald, just two days later, remains one of the most shocking and controversial moments in American history. This unprecedented act, carried out on live television, instantly transformed a national tragedy into an enduring mystery, fueling decades of intense speculation and conspiracy theories that persist to this day, nearly 60 years later.

As of December 2025, the official consensus remains that the man who fatally shot Lee Harvey Oswald was Dallas nightclub owner Jack Ruby. His sudden, violent intervention in the transfer of the presidential assassin not only silenced the only person who could definitively answer questions about the Kennedy assassination but also created a second, equally complex legal and historical saga that continues to be scrutinized by researchers and historians worldwide. Understanding Ruby’s background is the first step in unraveling this historical knot.

Jack Ruby: A Complete Biographical Profile of Oswald's Assassin

Jack Ruby, born Jacob Rubenstein, was a figure steeped in the Dallas underworld whose life took a dramatic turn on November 24, 1963. He was a complex individual whose actions that day remain a subject of intense debate regarding motive and conspiracy.

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• Full Name: Jacob Leon Rubenstein (later legally changed to Jack Leon Ruby).
• Date of Birth: March 25, 1911 (Official records list conflicting dates).
• Place of Birth: Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
• Parents: Joseph Rubenstein and Fannie Rutkowski, Polish Jewish immigrants.
• Occupation: Nightclub owner. He owned several establishments in Dallas, most notably the *Carousel Club* and the *Vegas Club*.
• The Shooting: On November 24, 1963, Ruby shot Lee Harvey Oswald in the basement of the Dallas Police Headquarters.
• Weapon: A Colt Cobra .38 Special revolver.
• Trial and Conviction: Ruby was convicted of murder with malice and sentenced to death in March 1964.
• Appeal: His conviction was later overturned on appeal by the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals in 1966, granting him a new trial.
• Date of Death: January 3, 1967.
• Place of Death: Parkland Memorial Hospital, Dallas, Texas.
• Cause of Death: Pulmonary embolism, shortly after being diagnosed with lung cancer.

Ruby’s early life in Chicago was marked by poverty and frequent run-ins with truancy officers. He served briefly in the U.S. Army Air Forces during World War II before moving to Dallas in 1947, where he established himself as a prominent figure in the city’s nightlife scene.

The Unprecedented Act: How the Shooting Unfolded on Live TV

The murder of Lee Harvey Oswald by Jack Ruby was a moment of profound historical significance, largely because it occurred in plain view of millions of Americans. It was the first time in history that a murder was broadcast live on national television, instantly creating an indelible image in the public consciousness.

The Transfer and the Crowd

On Sunday morning, November 24, 1963, Dallas police were preparing to transfer Oswald from the Dallas Police Headquarters to the county jail. The transfer was a high-profile event, with a massive press contingency—including television cameras and photographers—gathered in the basement garage. Despite the intense security concerns following the assassination of President Kennedy, the police allowed the press close access.

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Ruby, who had been in the vicinity of the Dallas Police Station on multiple occasions since the Kennedy assassination, somehow managed to slip past the security cordon. Reports vary on exactly how he gained entry, but the most common account suggests he walked down the ramp from the Main Street entrance, blending in with the crowd of journalists and police officers.

As Oswald was escorted out by detectives, wearing a dark sweater and flanked by officers, a man suddenly stepped forward from the crowd. That man was Jack Ruby.

The Fateful Moment and the Aftermath

At approximately 11:21 a.m. CST, Ruby lunged forward, brandishing a Colt Cobra .38 revolver, and fired a single shot into Oswald’s abdomen. The moment was captured by photographer Bob Jackson, whose iconic photograph of the shooting later won a Pulitzer Prize. Oswald cried out in pain and collapsed, and the detectives immediately subdued Ruby.

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Lee Harvey Oswald was rushed to Parkland Memorial Hospital—the same hospital where President Kennedy had been pronounced dead two days earlier—but succumbed to his wound shortly after. His death meant that the only person officially accused of the JFK assassination would never face trial, an event that instantly ignited the flames of conspiracy theories that still burn today.

The Enduring Mystery: Jack Ruby's Motive and Conspiracy Theories

The question of *why* Jack Ruby shot Lee Harvey Oswald is arguably more central to the Kennedy assassination mythology than the act itself. While Ruby’s stated motive was clear, the circumstances of the murder immediately raised suspicions of a larger plot.

Ruby’s Stated Motive

During his interrogation and subsequent trial, Jack Ruby maintained that his motive was a spontaneous, patriotic surge of grief and rage over the death of President Kennedy. He claimed he wanted to spare the President's widow, Jackie Kennedy, the emotional trauma of having to return to Dallas to testify at Oswald’s trial.

Assassination expert Gus Russo has suggested that Ruby "worshipped Kennedy" and acted out of a genuine, if misguided, sense of loyalty and emotional distress. Ruby’s associates also testified that he was deeply distraught over the assassination, often weeping openly in the days following the event.

The Warren Commission's Conclusion

The Warren Commission, established to investigate the assassination of President Kennedy, concluded in 1964 that both Lee Harvey Oswald and Jack Ruby acted alone. The Commission found "no evidence that Jack Ruby was part of any conspiracy, either domestic or foreign, to assassinate President Kennedy." They accepted Ruby’s own explanation that he shot Oswald out of a desire to avenge the President.

The Conspiracy Theories That Persist

Despite the official findings, the shooting of Oswald remains a cornerstone of nearly every major JFK conspiracy theory. The prevailing counter-argument is that Ruby was a mob-connected figure who was ordered to silence Oswald to prevent him from revealing co-conspirators. Key entities and theories often cited include:

• The Mob Connection: Ruby’s background as a nightclub owner gave him ties to organized crime figures in both Dallas and Chicago, leading many to believe he was a hitman instructed to eliminate a loose end.
• The Silence Factor: Oswald’s death, just before he could be questioned further or stand trial, created a permanent void of information, which conspiracy theorists argue was the intended outcome.
• The CIA/Cuban Connection: Some theories suggest that Oswald was connected to intelligence agencies or foreign powers (such as Cuba or the Soviet Union) and that Ruby was part of a counter-conspiracy to cover up this link.
• The Epilepsy Defense: During his trial, Ruby's defense team argued that he suffered from a rare form of psychomotor epilepsy, which could cause him to act impulsively and irrationally, thereby mitigating his responsibility. This defense, though initially rejected, highlights the complexity of his mental state.

Ultimately, Jack Ruby’s bullet did more than just kill Lee Harvey Oswald; it forever cemented the JFK assassination as a case defined by unanswered questions, suspicion, and a deep-seated public distrust of official narratives. The image of a lone man stepping out of the crowd to commit murder on live television ensures that the debate over *who shot Lee Harvey Oswald*—and why—will continue for generations.