Tim McCarthy
Encyclopedia
Timothy J. McCarthy is the current police chief of Orland Park, Illinois
and a former member of the United States Secret Service
. He is most famous for turning into the line of fire, shielding President
Ronald Reagan
and being wounded by one of John Hinckley, Jr.
's .22 caliber bullets in the 1981 Reagan assassination attempt
. Surgeons at George Washington University Hospital
successfully removed the round from McCarthy's abdomen, and he fully recovered. McCarthy received the NCAA Award of Valor
in 1982 in recognition of his bravery.
neighborhood of Chicago. He graduated from St. Denis Grammar School and Leo Catholic High School
and then attended the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
and was a member of the Delta Tau Delta
fraternity. He graduated in 1971 with a Bachelor of Science
degree in finance
and joined the United States Secret Service shortly thereafter.
. McCarthy was the Special Agent in Charge
of the Secret Service Chicago Division from 1989 until his retirement in October 1993.
in front of Reagan to make himself a target. Although all Secret Service agents are trained to take a bullet for the President, only four have actually done so. Besides McCarthy, officer Leslie Coffelt
of the White House Police Force was killed and officers Donald Birdzell and Joseph Downs were wounded in the 1950 Truman assassination attempt
.
as a Democrat
.
In 1999, he earned a Master of Science
degree in criminal/social justice
from Lewis University
in Romeoville, Illinois
.
McCarthy also played football
at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
.
Orland Park, Illinois
Orland Park is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States; it also extends slightly into Will County. The population was 56,767 at the 2010 census. The office of the Assistant Village Manager, Ellen Baer, states that the Will County section of Orland Park is industrial while the Cook County...
and a former member of the United States Secret Service
United States Secret Service
The United States Secret Service is a United States federal law enforcement agency that is part of the United States Department of Homeland Security. The sworn members are divided among the Special Agents and the Uniformed Division. Until March 1, 2003, the Service was part of the United States...
. He is most famous for turning into the line of fire, shielding President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
and being wounded by one of John Hinckley, Jr.
John Hinckley, Jr.
John Warnock Hinckley, Jr., attempted to assassinate U.S. President Ronald Reagan in Washington, D.C., on March 30, 1981, as the culmination of an effort to impress teen actress Jodie Foster. He was found not guilty by reason of insanity and has remained under institutional psychiatric care since...
's .22 caliber bullets in the 1981 Reagan assassination attempt
Reagan assassination attempt
The Reagan assassination attempt occurred on Monday, March 30, 1981, just 69 days into the presidency of Ronald Reagan. While leaving a speaking engagement at the Washington Hilton Hotel in Washington, D.C., President Reagan and three others were shot and wounded by John Hinckley, Jr...
. Surgeons at George Washington University Hospital
George Washington University Hospital
The George Washington University Hospital is a hospital in Washington, D.C. in the United States. It opened on On August 23, 2002, with 371 beds in a 400,000 sq. ft. building, housing than $45 million of medical equipment and cost more than $96 million to construct...
successfully removed the round from McCarthy's abdomen, and he fully recovered. McCarthy received the NCAA Award of Valor
NCAA Award of Valor
The NCAA Award of Valor is presented by the National Collegiate Athletic Association to recognize "courageous action or noteworthy bravery" by persons involved with intercollegiate athletics....
in 1982 in recognition of his bravery.
Early life
McCarthy was raised in the AshburnAshburn
Ashburn is the name of several places in the United States of America:*Ashburn, Georgia*Ashburn, Chicago, Illinois, a community area*Ashburn, Virginia, unincorporated area in Loudoun County.and in Canada:*Ashburn, Ontario*Ashburn...
neighborhood of Chicago. He graduated from St. Denis Grammar School and Leo Catholic High School
Leo Catholic High School
Leo Catholic High School is an all-male Catholic high school in the Auburn Gresham neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois, United States. It is located in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago and home to a predominantly African–American student body...
and then attended the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
The University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign is a large public research-intensive university in the state of Illinois, United States. It is the flagship campus of the University of Illinois system...
and was a member of the Delta Tau Delta
Delta Tau Delta
Delta Tau Delta is a U.S.-based international secret letter college fraternity. Delta Tau Delta was founded in 1858 at Bethany College, Bethany, Virginia, . It currently has around 125 student chapters nationwide, as well as more than 25 regional alumni groups. Its national community service...
fraternity. He graduated in 1971 with a Bachelor of Science
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
degree in finance
Finance
"Finance" is often defined simply as the management of money or “funds” management Modern finance, however, is a family of business activity that includes the origination, marketing, and management of cash and money surrogates through a variety of capital accounts, instruments, and markets created...
and joined the United States Secret Service shortly thereafter.
Law enforcement career
His career included eight years assigned to the Presidential Protective Division in Washington D.C. and fourteen years as a criminal investigator in ChicagoChicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
. McCarthy was the Special Agent in Charge
United States Secret Service
The United States Secret Service is a United States federal law enforcement agency that is part of the United States Department of Homeland Security. The sworn members are divided among the Special Agents and the Uniformed Division. Until March 1, 2003, the Service was part of the United States...
of the Secret Service Chicago Division from 1989 until his retirement in October 1993.
Reagan assassination attempt
After Hinckley began to fire, McCarthy deliberately put himself in the line of fire and spread his bodySpreadeagle (position)
The spread eagle is the position in which a person has his or her arms outstretched and legs apart, figuratively resembling an eagle with wings spread. It is a style that appears commonly in nature and geometry. In human style it is represented by the letter "X".A spreadeagle is a common position...
in front of Reagan to make himself a target. Although all Secret Service agents are trained to take a bullet for the President, only four have actually done so. Besides McCarthy, officer Leslie Coffelt
Leslie Coffelt
Leslie William "Les" Coffelt was an officer of the White House Police Force who was killed while defending U.S. President Harry S...
of the White House Police Force was killed and officers Donald Birdzell and Joseph Downs were wounded in the 1950 Truman assassination attempt
Truman assassination attempt
The assassination attempt on U.S. President Harry S. Truman occurred on November 1, 1950. It was perpetrated by two Puerto Rican pro-independence activists, Oscar Collazo and Griselio Torresola, while the President resided at the Blair House. The attempt resulted in the deaths of White House Police...
.
Post-Secret Service career
McCarthy has served as Chief of the Orland Park Police Department since May 1994, and, in 1997, he unsuccessfully ran for Illinois Secretary of StateSecretary of State of Illinois
The Secretary of State of Illinois is one of the six elected executive state offices of the government of Illinois, and one of the 47 secretaries of states in the United States. The Illinois Secretary of State keeps the state records, laws, and archives, and is the state's vehicle registration and...
as a Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
.
Private life
He is married and has three children.In 1999, he earned a Master of Science
Master of Science
A Master of Science is a postgraduate academic master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is typically studied for in the sciences including the social sciences.-Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay:...
degree in criminal/social justice
Criminal justice
Criminal Justice is the system of practices and institutions of governments directed at upholding social control, deterring and mitigating crime, or sanctioning those who violate laws with criminal penalties and rehabilitation efforts...
from Lewis University
Lewis University
Lewis University is a private Roman Catholic and Lasallian university located in Romeoville, Illinois, United States . The enrollment is currently around 6,800 students...
in Romeoville, Illinois
Romeoville, Illinois
Romeoville is a village in Will County, Illinois, United States. The population was 21,153 at the 2000 census. As of 2006 the population has grown to 36,837. It is located in the southwest suburban area of Chicago near the newly constructed I-355 extension south from the Stevenson Expressway to I-80...
.
McCarthy also played football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
The University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign is a large public research-intensive university in the state of Illinois, United States. It is the flagship campus of the University of Illinois system...
.
External links
- Orland Park Police Department-Meet the Chief of Police
- McCarthy Biography
- 2005 Illinois Bar Association Award
- He Took A Bullet For Reagan, McCarthy interview with Rene Syler, CBS News, 2004 6 11 (online article 2007 Dec 5, Ellen Crean)