Juan Romero (Witness to RFK Assassination)

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For other persons named Juan Romero, see Juan Romero (disambiguation).

Juan Romero (Born 1955) was a busboy and the last person to shake the hand of Robert F. Kennedy, who was assassinated by Sirhan Sirhan mere moments later.

Mr. Romero was serving as a busboy at the Ambassador Hotel on the eve of the June 5, 1968 California Democratic Primary Elections and had been able to bribe a fellow busboy that night to allow him to shake hands with the Senator in his suite.[1] Around midnight, just after the Senator had won the California Primary Nomination, Senator Kennedy was proceeding through the kitchen Mr. Romero approached him once again to shake his hand in congratulations. It was at that moment that Sirhan Sirhan fired the fatal shots from near Mr. Romero's shoulder. The Senator, mortally wounded, fell immediately and several iconic images of the event were captured of Mr. Romero with the fallen Presidential Candidate[2] Mr. Romero offered the Senator his Rosary and wrapped it around the Senator's hand when he could not hold it.[1]

  1. ^ a b Steve Lopez, The Daily Mirror, "Voices - Juan Romero". Los Angeles Times (Online Edition) (2006). Retrieved on 2008-06-05.
  2. ^ Assassination of presidential hopeful Robert F. Kennedy (PICTURE). National Museum of American History (2007). Retrieved on 2008-06-05.