On November 24, 1963, Lee Harvey Oswald was being transferred under police escort from the Dallas police station to the Dallas County Jail when he was fatally shot by Jack Ruby, a Dallas nightclub owner. The transfer was closely monitored by media representatives and was taking place under heavy police protection due to threats against Oswald's life. As Oswald was escorted through the basement of the police headquarters, Ruby stepped forward from a group of reporters and fired a revolver at close range, hitting Oswald in the abdomen. Oswald was rushed to the hospital but was pronounced dead shortly thereafter.

This shocking act was witnessed by thousands of people in the vicinity and televised live, garnering the attention of millions of Americans glued to their screens as the unfolding drama revealed the chaos and volatility surrounding the aftermath of President John F. Kennedy's assassination just two days prior. The incident raised numerous questions about security measures in place for high-profile individuals and sparked debates about justice and vigilantism. Ruby was subsequently arrested and claimed that he felt compelled to kill Oswald to spare Jacqueline Kennedy the pain of having to endure a trial where details of her husband’s murder might be revealed.

The event took place amid an environment of national shock and mourning, as the assassination of President Kennedy on November 22 had shaken the United States to its core. Oswald, arrested as the primary suspect, was expected to face trial when Ruby intervened violently in a moment that would forever be etched in American memory. The chilling image of Oswald's murder was captured by several photographers, and one of them, Robert H. Jackson, won the Pulitzer Prize for his photograph, which highlighted the tumultuous and tragic nature of the events surrounding Kennedy's assassination.