Attempted assassination of Pope John Paul II
| Pope John Paul II assassination attempt | |
|---|---|
The approximate location of the shooting, marked by a stone tablet, in St. Peter's Square | |
| Location | St. Peter's Square, Vatican City |
| Date | 13 May 1981 |
| Target | Pope John Paul II |
Attack type | Shooting |
| Weapons | Browning Hi-Power |
| Injured | 3 (including the Pope) |
| Perpetrator | Mehmet Ali Ağca (Grey Wolves) |
On 13 May 1981, in St. Peter's Square in Vatican City, Pope John Paul II was shot and wounded by Mehmet Ali Ağca while he was entering the square. The Pope was struck twice and suffered severe blood loss. Ağca was apprehended immediately and later sentenced to life in prison by an Italian court. The Pope forgave Ağca for the assassination attempt. He was pardoned by Italian president Carlo Azeglio Ciampi at the Pope's request and was deported to Turkey in June 2000.