Jeff Franzen was just 6 when he saw John F. Kennedy shot . Nearly 50 years later , he recalled that fateful day . His family had gone to downtown Dallas to shop . They set up in a park near the end of the parade . When the shooting started , Franzen thought the popping sounds were firecrackers . `` Unfortunately , the shot that killed the president , it looked like confetti just coming out of the car , and you just assumed that 's what it was , '' he told CNN 's `` Piers Morgan Live . '' Franzen spoke Wednesday night , just two days before the 50th anniversary of Kennedy 's assassination . The former president was fatally shot in Dallas on November 22 , 1963 , while traveling in a motorcade with his wife . `` Fortunately , because I was so young , I think I could n't even begin to comprehend that somebody was being killed in front of me , '' Franzen said . `` It 's more of an interesting tidbit of history that I just happened to be there . '' Opinion : 50 years on , the enduring lessons of JFK 's presidency . ' X ' marking spot of Kennedy assassination paved over .
Jeff Franzen was just 6 years old when he saw John F. Kennedy shot . The young boy had been watching the assassination on TV with his parents and brother at their home in suburban Chicago. Franzen speaks two days before the 50th anniversary of Kennedy 's assassination .