How John Lennon’s Murder Led to Preventing Mass Shootings

The never-before-told story of what mental health experts and Secret Service agents discovered after the music icon’s tragic death.

A week after the 1980 murder of John Lennon, a photo of him on display in front of his New York City home.Carlos Rene Perez/AP

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Editor’s note: This article is adapted from Mark Follman’s new book, Trigger Points: Inside the Mission to Stop Mass Shootings in America (HarperCollins). It first appeared as a guest column in David Corn’s newsletter, Our Land, a twice-weekly dispatch with stories and insights on politics and media. Subscribing costs just $5 a month—but you can sign up for a free 30-day trial of Our Land here.


 

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