on the evening of April 14th 1865 President Abraham Lincoln was enjoying a play at Ford's Theater in Washington DC seated in the presidential box unknown to him John wils Booth a Confederate sympathizer was stealthily making his way backstage with the president's bodyguard John F Parker absent in the theater security lacks Booth saw his chance he approached Lincoln from behind and fired a single fatal shot into the back of his head the theater erupted into chaos as the shot rang out and panic spread before we dive deeper into this tragic event don't forget to hit that subscribe button for more historical insights Booth then leapt onto the stage shouting SI Seer tyrannis thus always to tyrants and escaped through a side door into the night leaving the nation in stunned mning