Mr. O'Brien. I don't think even up to that point, as the motorcade started to move out in front of us, as each car seemed to move out from great speed, we were at all aware of—certainly we had no idea of the specific nature of the occurrence. And we just were, I think you would have to describe, very confused. I remember particularly a Negro man with a youngster in his arms running up the slope of the lawn.
Mr. Adams. On which side of the car?
Mr. O'Brien. On the right. And that was typical of all kinds of movement, as we tried to determine what had occurred, and we just didn't know.
Mr. Adams. Did you have any radio communication in your car with the front cars?
Mr. O'Brien. No; we did not. At that point, a photographer—we started to move a little more rapidly. Our driver intended to follow the motorcade and move out. The motorcade moved out with great speed in front of us. And a photographer jumped on the trunk of our car—it was a convertible—holding onto the edge of the seat, and pounding his fist on the trunk, and obviously in a most excited state. We did not get anything coherent from him. I do not think we really attempted to, because at that point, as he hung onto our car, obviously to try and keep up with the motorcade himself, our car moved out with great speed.
The driver lost sight of the car in front of him in a matter of two or three minutes. He had no idea where the motorcade was headed. And they, therefore, proceeded to take us directly along the highway, passed the trade mart, which was to be the location of the President's stop and speech following the parade route.
We pulled up in front of the motorcade, slowed down, and someone called out, He has been shot, he is draped over the back seat. And at that point the driver concluded that perhaps his destination should be the nearest hospital. And he started to move out with great speed toward this hospital. And as we came closer to it, it became obvious that that was our destination, because then you saw the cars, the motorcycle police, and what-have-you. As we arrived at the hospital, there was a great deal of commotion at the front.
Mr. Adams. I think you misspoke yourself. You said you pulled up in front of the motorcade. I think perhaps you meant to say you pulled up in front of the trade mart.
Mr. O'Brien. Trade mart—I am sorry.
Mr. Adams. Now, just to make it perfectly clear, did you see the President or Governor Connally at the moment that they were shot?