Mark David Chapman ( born May 10 , 1955 ) is an American criminal who murdered English musician John Lennon , formerly of the Beatles , on December 8 , 1980 outside Lennon 's residence at the Dakota apartment building in Manhattan . Chapman fired five shots at Lennon with a Charter Arms .38 caliber revolver , hitting him four times in the back . For the next few minutes , Chapman remained at the scene reading J. D. Salinger 's novel '' The Catcher in the Rye '' until he was arrested by police . He planned to cite the novel as his manifesto
murdered
Murder of John Lennon
Mark David Chapman