Tim McCarthy
Timothy J. McCarthy is a retired United States Secret Service special agent best known for his selfless act during the March 30, 1981, assassination attempt on President Ronald Reagan in Washington, D.C., where he positioned his body to shield the president from gunfire by John Hinckley Jr., absorbing a bullet in the abdomen that likely prevented a fatal shot to Reagan.[1][2][3] McCarthy, who joined the Secret Service after graduating from Loyola University Chicago, recovered from his injury and continued his career, eventually rising to Special Agent in Charge of the Chicago Field Office before retiring from federal service.[1][3] In 1994, he transitioned to local law enforcement as Chief of Police for Orland Park, Illinois, a position he held for 26 years until his retirement in 2020, during which he was recognized as Illinois Chief of the Year in 2016 for his leadership and contributions to public safety.[1][4][5] His actions in 1981 exemplify the protective instincts central to Secret Service protocol, earning him enduring respect within law enforcement circles for prioritizing presidential security over personal safety.[1][6]Early Life and Education
Childhood and Upbringing
Timothy McCarthy was born in Chicago, Illinois, into a family deeply embedded in law enforcement traditions.[1] His father served as a sergeant with the Chicago Police Department in the intelligence division, fostering connections with U.S. Secret Service personnel that later influenced McCarthy's career decisions.[1] McCarthy was raised in Chicago's Ashburn neighborhood on the Southwest Side, within St. Denis Parish, an environment that emphasized community-oriented values and blue-collar resilience.[7] This upbringing, marked by his father's dedication to policing amid the challenges of urban law enforcement in mid-20th-century Chicago, cultivated McCarthy's early interest in public safety and service, with his father explicitly encouraging pursuit of federal protective roles.[1][8] As a product of St. Denis Parish, McCarthy developed a spiritual dimension that he later described as integral to his character, reflecting the Catholic community's role in shaping moral and dutiful outlooks during his formative years.[9]Collegiate Athletics and Academic Background
McCarthy attended the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in finance in 1971.[10][11] At Illinois, McCarthy participated in collegiate athletics, initially lettering in wrestling and track and field before focusing on football, his preferred sport.[12] He joined the Illini football team as a walk-on defensive back, playing safety and earning varsity letters in 1969 and 1970 while advancing to a starting role.[12][13] Following his undergraduate studies, McCarthy obtained a Master of Science degree in criminal justice from Lewis University.[10]Professional Career in Law Enforcement
Initial Roles in Policing
McCarthy entered federal law enforcement in late January 1972 as a special agent with the United States Secret Service, marking the start of his professional career in the field. After completing six months of training at the Treasury and law enforcement schools in Washington, D.C., he was assigned to the agency's Chicago Field Office.[12][5] In this initial role, McCarthy focused on criminal investigations related to financial crimes, spending seven years probing cases of fraudulent checks and counterfeiting in his hometown of Chicago. These duties involved fieldwork typical of federal policing, including evidence gathering, suspect interviews, and collaboration with local authorities to combat economic threats to the U.S. currency system.[1][8]Tenure with the United States Secret Service
Timothy J. McCarthy began his tenure with the United States Secret Service in 1972 as a special agent, marking the start of his 22-year career with the agency.[14] Following initial training at the Treasury Law Enforcement Training Center and other programs in Washington, D.C., for approximately six months, he was assigned to the Chicago Field Office.[12] Early in his service, McCarthy worked as a criminal investigator, a role he held for 14 years, focusing on financial crimes and protective intelligence operations.[15] McCarthy later transitioned to protective duties, spending eight years in the Presidential Protective Division (PPD), where he safeguarded Presidents Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, and George H. W. Bush.[16] His assignments included high-risk details, culminating in his service on President Reagan's PPD shift at the time of the 1981 assassination attempt, though specifics of that event are detailed separately. During this period, he advanced to supervisory positions, demonstrating leadership in advance work, route planning, and threat assessment.[1] Following his PPD tenure, McCarthy returned to the Chicago Field Office, where he served in progressively senior roles, including supervisor, before his promotion in 1989 to Special Agent in Charge (SAIC) of the division.[8] As SAIC, he oversaw field operations, investigations, and protective assignments across the Midwest until his retirement in October 1993.[17] Throughout his career, McCarthy was appointed to the Senior Executive Service, the federal government's highest non-political executive rank, recognizing his managerial expertise.[18]The 1981 Reagan Assassination Attempt
Sequence of Events on March 30, 1981
On March 30, 1981, President Ronald Reagan addressed members of the AFL-CIO at the Washington Hilton Hotel in Washington, D.C., concluding his speech around 2:25 p.m.[19] As Reagan exited the hotel's T Street entrance toward his waiting limousine, he paused to wave to a crowd of reporters and onlookers gathered behind a rope line.[20] John Hinckley Jr., a 25-year-old who had stalked Reagan's schedule, positioned himself approximately 15 feet away in the press area and drew a Röhm RG-14 .22-caliber revolver loaded with eight explosive Devastator bullets.[21] [2] At approximately 2:27 p.m., Hinckley fired six shots in under two seconds from a distance of about 15 feet.[20] [19] The sequence of impacts was as follows:- The first bullet struck White House Press Secretary James Brady in the forehead, causing severe brain injury.[19]
- The second bullet hit District of Columbia Police Officer Thomas Delahanty in the back of the neck as he turned toward the gunfire.[19]
- The third bullet struck Secret Service Agent Tim McCarthy in the abdomen after he positioned himself to shield the president.[19] [20]
- The fourth bullet ricocheted off the armored presidential limousine and penetrated Reagan's left lung under the armpit, lodging an inch from his heart.[19] [20]
- The fifth and sixth bullets struck the limousine's windshield and window, causing minor damage without further injury.[19]