JFK library worker highlights curious incident that happened a year before assassination

Professor Stephen F. Knott, who worked in the John F. Kennedy Jr. library in Boston, said he found a surprising story in the archives there that showed JFK may have been in danger more than a year before his assassination.

In Springfield, Illinois, on Oct. 19, 1962, police found a man and his son pointing a rifle with a scope at Kennedy during another open-air motorcade.

Police questioned the man and his son, who told them they were just trying to get a closer look at the president. They did have ammunition present, however.

"The Secret Service held these two individuals for a time," Knott said. "They insisted that all they wanted to do was to get a better look at the president. And it seems to me kind of odd that you use a rifle scope to do that."

Ultimately, the two were let go because no evidence was found against them. Unfortunately, this didn't lead to any changes in Kennedy's security that perhaps could have saved him.

"What made it even more frightening was Kennedy was scheduled to return on the exact same route," Knott said. "And thankfully, this Illinois police officer spotted it."