(Testimony of Rufus Wayne , Special Agent, Youngblood)
Mr. Youngblood.
there was an explosive noise. I quickly observed unnatural movement of crowds, like ducking or scattering, and quick movements in the Presidential followup car. So I turned around and hit the Vice President on the shoulder and hollered, get down, and then looked around again and saw more of this movement, and so I proceeded to go to the back seat and get on top of him.
I then heard two more shots. But I would like to say this. I would not be positive that I was back on that back seat before the second shot. But the Vice President himself said I was. But--then in hearing these two more shots, I again had seen more movement, and I think someone else hit a siren--I heard the noise of a siren.
I told the driver to close it up, and stick close to that car in front. And right away we started a hasty evacuation speed, and left this immediate area, and we were following close behind. And I had a radio which was on a Baker frequency, where I could communicate back with the agents in my followup car. And they had a Charlie frequency, which was on the same network of the Presidential motorcade. And I called back and said I am switching to Baker frequency--I said, "I am switching to Charlie." And as I switched, I heard some transmission over the Charlie sets saying for me to keep my man covered, and I heard Kivett reply to Emory Roberts that he was covered, and I saw agents in the followup car, the Presidential followup car signaling us to stay close. I asked the driver what his opinion was as to--I don't know for exact sure just where we were going, but I knew our best protection was to stay with that Presidential followup crew. And I asked the driver if he had passed the Trade Mart. He said he passed it and we were going on to the hospital. And I heard indications over the radio that we were going to the hospital. We had a very fast ride there.
I told the driver to go as fast as he could without having a wreck. There was some conversation between the Vice President and myself while we were going to the hospital. I told him that I didn't know how serious it was up in the front car, but when we arrived at the hospital, I would like to get out of the car and go into the building and not stop, and for him to stay close to, myself and the other agents. He agreed to. When we arrived at the hospital, we immediately went right in. As we stopped at the hospital, two of my agents from the Vice Presidential car, follow-up car, were coming up to meet us, and two from the Presidential followup were coming to meet us, and, with this group, we proceeded into the hospital and then went into a room. I posted one man at the door and said, not to let anyone in unless he knew him, was certain of his identity.
I told Jerry Kivett and Warren Taylor to pull all the shades and blinds, which they did. And they also busied themselves with evacuating a couple of people out of there. There was a nurse and a patient in there.
Mr. Specter.
Before you go on, Mr. Youngblood, let me drop back and pick up a few of the details theretofore.
What would your best estimate be of the speed of the Vice President's car at the time you heard that first explosive noise?
Mr. Youngblood.
Oh, approximately 12 miles an hour.
Mr. Specter.
And had you maintained the distance which you have described heretofore behind the President's followup car?
Mr. Youngblood.
Yes, generally. Sometimes as we went around corners, we tried to close up the gap a little bit. But as soon as we got on a straight stretch, we would drop back two or three car lengths.
Mr. Specter.
Well, at this particular time, what is your best recollection of the distance between the Presidential followup car and the Vice President's car?
Mr. Youngblood.
We are on Elm Street now.
Mr. Specter.
At the time the first shot occurred.
Mr. Youngblood.
We were two or three car lengths behind.
Mr. Specter.
And how far behind the President's car was the Presidential followup car at the time of the first shot?
Mr. Youngblood.
I would think somewhat less than a car length.
Mr. Specter.
What is your best estimate of the total timespan between the first and third shots which you have already described?
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