The death of former White House Press Secretary James Brady who died this week at the age of 73 has been termed a homicide by a medical examiner.

Brady suffered a gunshot wound in 1981 in a failed assassination attempt on President Ronald Reagan. Brady was shot in the head by John Hinckley Jr. during an attempt to assassinate President Reagan outside the Washington Hilton Hotel.

“An autopsy was conducted and revealed the cause of death to be a gunshot wound and consequences thereof, and the manner of death was ruled a homicide,” said the police in Washington.

Gunman John Hinckley Jr. could now be charged with Brady’s murder. However, the Justice Department did not immediately respond to inquiries about whether they would pursue charges.

The department noted that both the US Attorney’s Office and the FBI are looking into the medical examiner’s ruling.
Brady survived the shooting but was left with the left side of his body paralyzed, forcing him to be in a wheelchair for the remainder of his life.

In the wake of the assassination attempt, Brady and his wife, Sarah, fought fiercely for gun control. In 1993, their advocacy helped pass the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act, which made background checks and 5 day waiting periods mandatory before an individual could buy a firearm.

A spokesperson for the family declined to comment on the medical examiner’s ruling but told reporters that “Jim had been suffering health issues since the shooting.”

In a statement on Monday, President Obama said that “an untold number of people are alive today who otherwise wouldn’t be” thanks to Brady’s advocacy efforts following the shooting.

“Jim is a legend at the White House for his warmth and professionalism as press secretary for President Reagan; for the strength he brought to bear in recovering from the shooting that nearly killed him 33 years ago; and for turning the events of that terrible afternoon into a remarkable legacy of service through the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence,” said the President.