# Who is the suit wearing, gun wielding BAMF in this iconic image? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 14, 2013, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-suit-wearing-gun-wielding-bamf-in-this-iconic-image/647173 "2013-01-14T15:32:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![CheeseDonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecae2f/32.png) [@CheeseDonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CheeseDonkey)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2013, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-suit-wearing-gun-wielding-bamf-in-this-iconic-image/647173/1 "2013-01-14T15:32:06Z")
March 30, 1981, John Hinckley, Jr. attempts to assassinate President Ronald Reagan. One of the images I’ve seen most frequently is this one: [http://urbantitan.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/Reagan\_Assassination.jpg](http://urbantitan.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/Reagan_Assassination.jpg) Does anyone know who that BAMF with the gun is? His BAMF level is so high it makes me feel like a BAMF and it makes me want to punch a hole in the wall or do something involving lots of testosterone. ---
**Author:** ![pantheon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/6bbea6/32.png) [@pantheon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pantheon)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2013, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-suit-wearing-gun-wielding-bamf-in-this-iconic-image/647173/2 "2013-01-14T15:38:46Z")
“Secret Service Agent Robert Wanko can be seen in the last photo holding an Uzi.” per [Wiki](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reagan_assassination_attempt). ---
**Author:** ![CheeseDonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecae2f/32.png) [@CheeseDonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CheeseDonkey)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2013, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-suit-wearing-gun-wielding-bamf-in-this-iconic-image/647173/3 "2013-01-14T15:43:24Z")
Yeah, I saw that after I posted the question. I was just so amazing at how much of a BAMF he was I couldn’t think straight. I had to find out his name. ---
**Author:** ![Furious\_Marmot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/dfb087/32.png) [@Furious\_Marmot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Furious_Marmot)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2013, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-suit-wearing-gun-wielding-bamf-in-this-iconic-image/647173/4 "2013-01-14T15:56:07Z")
Growing up with the last name Wanko pretty much guarantees you’re a hardass. Also, is BAMF some new thing the kids are saying these days? ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2013, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-suit-wearing-gun-wielding-bamf-in-this-iconic-image/647173/5 "2013-01-14T16:02:26Z")
I would buy a used Yenko from this man. ---
**Author:** ![Sicks\_Ate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Sicks\_Ate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sicks_Ate)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2013, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-suit-wearing-gun-wielding-bamf-in-this-iconic-image/647173/6 "2013-01-14T16:04:38Z")
“I don’t always carry a machine pistol in a briefcase, but when I do…” > [@Furious\_Marmot](#): > > Growing up with the last name Wanko pretty much guarantees you’re a hardass. > > Also, is BAMF some new thing the kids are saying these days? BAMF is old, I heard it back in the 1900’s. ---
**Author:** ![Floater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/dc4da7/32.png) [@Floater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Floater)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2013, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-suit-wearing-gun-wielding-bamf-in-this-iconic-image/647173/7 "2013-01-14T16:18:15Z")
I didn’t. What does it mean? ---
**Author:** ![Sicks\_Ate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Sicks\_Ate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sicks_Ate)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2013, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-suit-wearing-gun-wielding-bamf-in-this-iconic-image/647173/8 "2013-01-14T16:20:25Z")
Bad Ass Mother Fucker ---
**Author:** ![JXJohns](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jxjohns/32/469_2.png) [@JXJohns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JXJohns)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2013, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-suit-wearing-gun-wielding-bamf-in-this-iconic-image/647173/9 "2013-01-14T16:26:17Z")
Ringo “Which wallet is yours?” Jules “It’s the one that says Bad Ass Mother Fucker on it.” /scene ---
**Author:** ![Furious\_Marmot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/dfb087/32.png) [@Furious\_Marmot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Furious_Marmot)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2013, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-suit-wearing-gun-wielding-bamf-in-this-iconic-image/647173/10 "2013-01-14T17:39:09Z")
> [@JXJohns](#): > > Ringo “Which wallet is yours?” > > Jules “It’s the one that says Bad Ass Mother Fucker on it.” > > /scene Nitpick. It’s “Bad Mother Fucker”. No ass involved. ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2013, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-suit-wearing-gun-wielding-bamf-in-this-iconic-image/647173/11 "2013-01-14T18:32:26Z")
It took me some time the first time I ever saw BAMF used with this meaning, because it’s also the traditional comic book sound effect used in X-Men comics when Nightcrawler teleports. I was reading the comics years before I discovered the Internet. ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2013, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-suit-wearing-gun-wielding-bamf-in-this-iconic-image/647173/12 "2013-01-14T22:52:04Z")
> [@Mister\_Rik](#): > > I was reading the comics years before I discovered the Internet. That was you who discovered the internet? Thanks, man, I use this thing all the time! ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2013, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-suit-wearing-gun-wielding-bamf-in-this-iconic-image/647173/13 "2013-01-14T23:10:40Z")
> [@Sicks\_Ate](#): > > …BAMF is old, I heard it back in the 1900’s. What decade did it start appearing? ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2013, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-suit-wearing-gun-wielding-bamf-in-this-iconic-image/647173/14 "2013-01-14T23:12:50Z")
> [@lieu](#): > > I would buy a used Yenko from this man. 😕 You don’t have to spoil the joke if you don’t want to. I just don’t want to be the only one with a frozen smile on my face. ---
**Author:** ![Llama\_Llogophile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@Llama\_Llogophile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Llama_Llogophile)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2013, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-suit-wearing-gun-wielding-bamf-in-this-iconic-image/647173/15 "2013-01-14T23:13:47Z")
I remember reading about Wanko’s role in that scene because I didn’t understand why he was planted there so menacingly even after Hinkley had been subdued and Reagan evacuated. Turns out he was covering the retreat. If anyone had tried to follow the car Reagan was in, it was Uzi time. Good training and reaction. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2013, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-suit-wearing-gun-wielding-bamf-in-this-iconic-image/647173/16 "2013-01-14T23:31:21Z")
I was expecting [something else entirely.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bamf) ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2013, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-suit-wearing-gun-wielding-bamf-in-this-iconic-image/647173/17 "2013-01-14T23:52:06Z")
> [@Mach Tuck](#): > > I remember reading about Wanko’s role in that scene because I didn’t understand why he was planted there so menacingly even after Hinkley had been subdued and Reagan evacuated. Turns out he was covering the retreat. If anyone had tried to follow the car Reagan was in, it was Uzi time. Good training and reaction. Huh. I always thought he was covering Hinkley, to prevent a Jack Ruby situation. ---
**Author:** ![Llama\_Llogophile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@Llama\_Llogophile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Llama_Llogophile)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2013, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-suit-wearing-gun-wielding-bamf-in-this-iconic-image/647173/18 "2013-01-15T00:03:51Z")
> [@Leo\_Bloom](#): > > Huh. I always thought he was covering Hinkley, to prevent a Jack Ruby situation. There were about half a dozen guys sitting on Hinkley by the time that photo was taken, I’d guess. IIRC, watching the video, you see Wanko’s attention is not on Hinkley after he was taken down. He was looking for whatever was coming next. I would not have wanted to be standing in the spot the photographer was when he snapped that pic. ---
**Author:** ![Fubaya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@Fubaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fubaya)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2013, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-suit-wearing-gun-wielding-bamf-in-this-iconic-image/647173/19 "2013-01-15T00:16:31Z")
It might take a little badassery away from him but what he is doing is trying in vain to unfold the Uzi’s shoulder stock. It may have been defective or something but he spent the entire time on scene fiddling with it, in between yelling orders and scanning for threats and actually being badass. If they made a movie, they’d probably just leave the goofy uzi stock out and have him look badass the whole time. ---
**Author:** ![Uber\_the\_Goober](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/58956e/32.png) [@Uber\_the\_Goober](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uber_the_Goober)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2013, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-suit-wearing-gun-wielding-bamf-in-this-iconic-image/647173/20 "2013-01-15T00:34:51Z")
> [@Fubaya](#): > > It might take a little badassery away from him but what he is doing is trying in vain to unfold the Uzi’s shoulder stock. It may have been defective or something but he spent the entire time on scene fiddling with it, in between yelling orders and scanning for threats and actually being badass. If they made a movie, they’d probably just leave the goofy uzi stock out and have him look badass the whole time. From whence does this nugget of fact-resembling information come? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-suit-wearing-gun-wielding-bamf-in-this-iconic-image/647173.md?page=2)