Ernest Brandt is an assassination eyewitness who did not come forward until the 1990s. Since his first public interview in 1993, Brandt has been a regular fixture in Dealey Plaza on the annual assassination anniversary.
He never imagined he would witness one of the most significant events in American history.
Ernest Brandt was even captured in the Zapruder film as the first shot was fired.
On Nov. 22, 1963, a 37-year-old Brandt was lunching near Downtown with a business associate. Brandt mentioned that J.F. Kennedy would be routing through Dallas in about half an hour. The associate said he’d like to see the motorcade.
They wanted to avoid the dense crowd, Brandt and his associate decided to post-up at Dealey Plaza, the last block of Kennedy’s route, where the crowd had thinned.
John F. Kennedy was shot at 12:30 p.m., just 15 feet from where Brandt, his associate and the lady in the blue dress stood.
Since witnessing the Kennedy assassination, Brandt has spent decades researching and discussing the events of the day. He has appeared on numerous TV shows, including “48 Hours” with Dan Rather in 1995. He has recounted his eyewitness account to students, conspiracy theorists and tourists. Brandt even volunteered as a tour guide at the Sixth Floor Museum for three years, and he taught a series of JFK classes at the University of Texas.
