Just 17 days after surviving an attempt on his life in Sacramento, President Gerald Ford was again the target of an assassination attempt—this time in San Francisco, California. On September 22, 1975, as Ford exited the St. Francis Hotel in Union Square, a woman raised a pistol and fired two shots at him from within thirty feet. Though both shots missed, the event reinforced growing fears about presidential vulnerability and the rise of politically motivated violence by lone individuals.
Political and Social Context
President Ford, still relatively new in office after succeeding the resigned Richard Nixon, had spent much of 1975 attempting to stabilize the country. He faced immense challenges: a stagnant economy, a skeptical public, and a deeply fractured political environment. His decision to pardon Nixon remained unpopular, and trust in government remained low in the wake of Watergate.
Beyond Washington, America in the mid-1970s was awash in radical activism, fringe ideologies, and widespread alienation. Domestic terrorism, cultic violence, and ideological extremism—from both the left and right—were increasingly common. President Ford, despite his steady demeanor, had become a lightning rod for these tensions.
The September 22 attempt, like the one before it, was carried out by a woman—a striking break from the typical profile of American political assassins. And once again, the would-be killer was motivated by extremist ideology and a desire for revolutionary change.
The Plot
Sara Jane Moore was a 45-year-old former accountant, FBI informant, and radical activist. In the early 1970s, she had drifted between leftist causes in California, including support for the Black Panthers and radical prisoners. Disillusioned and erratic, she had recently come under FBI scrutiny herself after behaving unpredictably during anti-government protests.
Moore claimed to have been inspired by Patty Hearst and the Symbionese Liberation Army, as well as by a general desire to make a political statement against oppression and what she saw as a corrupt system. In her own words, she wanted to be “part of history.” Her motivations were deeply muddled—part ideological, part theatrical, part desperate.
Moore had been questioned by authorities just days before the assassination attempt and was found carrying a handgun, which they confiscated. Incredibly, she was released, and within 24 hours had purchased another gun—the one she would use in her attempt on Ford.
Timeline
September 22, 1975, ~10:00 a.m.: President Ford exits the St. Francis Hotel in San Francisco’s Union Square after a speaking engagement.
Seconds later: Moore, standing among a crowd of onlookers about 40 feet away, raises a .38 caliber revolver and fires.
The first shot: Misses Ford by mere inches, striking a wall above his head.
Before she can fire again: Oliver Sipple, a bystander and former Marine, grabs her arm. The second shot is deflected and misses.
Secret Service agents: Tackle Moore and rush Ford into a waiting vehicle. The president is unharmed.
The Assassination Attempt
Moore’s attempt was chillingly close to success. Her first shot came within inches of hitting the president. Had it struck slightly lower or to the side, it could have been fatal. Ford, stunned but unharmed, was immediately pushed into his armored limousine by agents.
The hero of the moment was Oliver Sipple, a decorated Vietnam veteran who happened to be nearby. Seeing Moore raise her gun for a second shot, Sipple lunged and pushed her arm, deflecting the bullet. His quick action almost certainly saved Ford’s life.
Moore was arrested at the scene without further resistance. She later remarked, “If I had had my sights [correct], it would have been a different story.”
Immediate Aftermath
Ford, remarkably, continued with his day. Within an hour, he delivered a scheduled speech at the airport, thanking the Secret Service and the public for their concern. But the double attempt on his life within three weeks stunned the nation and raised urgent questions about presidential security.
The Secret Service faced sharp criticism for allowing the president to be exposed in uncontrolled public settings. Though the agency had already tightened protocols following the Sacramento incident, the fact that another woman, acting alone and from within a crowd, could again come so close was deeply alarming.
Moore’s attack reinforced fears that a new era of politically motivated lone-wolf violence had arrived.
Investigation and Arrests
Sara Jane Moore was immediately taken into federal custody. During questioning, she admitted that she had planned to kill the president to make a political statement. She described herself as acting in solidarity with radical left-wing movements and said she hoped her act would be “the spark” for broader revolution.
The FBI discovered that Moore had previously served as an informant for federal authorities while infiltrating leftist groups. Her double life—as both government source and revolutionary sympathizer—fueled speculation and confusion in the media. However, investigators concluded she acted entirely on her own.
Trial and Legal Proceedings
Moore was charged with attempted assassination of the President of the United States. She pled guilty on December 12, 1975, in federal court, avoiding a lengthy trial. She showed little remorse and expressed frustration that she had missed her target.
She was sentenced to life in prison. During her incarceration, Moore gave occasional interviews, in which she alternately justified her actions and claimed to have changed. She was released on parole in 2007 after serving 32 years.
Punishments and Legacy of the Conspirator
Moore became one of the few women in U.S. history convicted of attempting to assassinate a president. Though not affiliated with any formal organization, her case came to symbolize the dangers of ideological radicalization and personal instability in the post-1960s era.
Oliver Sipple, the man who stopped her second shot, received public accolades but also endured personal hardship after the media revealed that he was gay—a fact that he had not publicly shared. The controversy around his outing became a landmark moment in LGBTQ+ and media ethics history.
Moore’s legacy is one of confusion and contradiction—a mix of misguided politics, mental instability, and a desire for personal notoriety. Her act remains one of the closest calls in modern presidential history.
Long-Term Impact on the Nation
The back-to-back attempts on Ford’s life catalyzed a major overhaul of presidential security. The Secret Service implemented stricter crowd control measures, expanded the use of metal detectors, and revised protocols for unscreened public engagements. Presidents became less accessible, and spontaneous walkabouts became rarer.
The attempts also prompted broader conversations about the roots of political violence, particularly among alienated individuals drawn to extremist ideologies. For Ford, the events underscored the risks of public service in an age of disillusionment—and the need for grace under pressure.
Controversies and Conspiracy Theories
While Moore acted alone, her past role as an FBI informant raised eyebrows. Some speculated that her handlers had ignored warning signs or failed to properly assess her mental state. Critics questioned why she had been released after being caught with a firearm just days earlier.
However, no conspiracy was ever substantiated. Moore’s actions appeared to be the result of her own delusions and radicalization, not part of any broader plot. The case remains a textbook example of a lone-wolf attack that nearly succeeded.
Primary Source Appendix
- FBI and Secret Service arrest and incident reports (September 1975)
- Transcript of Sara Jane Moore’s guilty plea and sentencing
- News coverage from The San Francisco Chronicle, The Washington Post, and The New York Times (September–December 1975)
- Public statements by Gerald Ford following the attack
- Interviews with Oliver Sipple and retrospective coverage of his intervention
- Congressional hearings on Secret Service procedures (1976)
- Prison interviews with Sara Jane Moore (1980s–2000s)