Overview
- John Lennon was shot outside the Dakota in New York City on Dec. 8, 1980, at age 40, and the news was announced live by Howard Cosell during Monday Night Football.
- Public mourning in the days that followed drew massive crowds, including an estimated 225,000 people in Central Park, and drove a surge in sales and airplay of Lennon’s and the Beatles’ music.
- Mark David Chapman pleaded guilty in 1981 and is serving 20 years to life at Green Haven; he was denied parole again in September 2025, with his next hearing scheduled for February 2027.
- Ringo Starr recalled rushing to support Yoko Ono and Sean after learning of the shooting, and Paul McCartney has said his final phone call with Lennon was warm and consoling.
- Renewed interest continues with recent and upcoming projects, including Peter Jackson’s Get Back, an updated Anthology on Disney+, HBO Max’s One to One, and Sam Mendes’ Beatles biopics slated for April 2028.