<P> On December 8, 1980, Chapman left his room at the Sheraton Hotel, leaving personal items behind that the police would later find . He bought a copy of The Catcher in the Rye in which he wrote "This is my statement", signing it "Holden Caulfield ." He then spent most of the day near the entrance to the Dakota apartment building where Lennon lived, talking to fans and the doorman . Early in the morning, a distracted Chapman missed seeing Lennon step out of a cab and enter the Dakota . Later in the morning, Chapman met Lennon's housekeeper who was returning from a walk with their five - year - old son Sean . Chapman reached in front of the housekeeper to shake Sean's hand and said that he was a beautiful boy, quoting Lennon's song "Beautiful Boy (Darling Boy)." Around 5: 00 p.m., Lennon and Ono left the Dakota for a recording session at Record Plant Studios . As they walked toward their limousine, Chapman shook hands with Lennon and asked for him to sign a copy of his album, Double Fantasy . Amateur photographer Paul Goresh took a photo of Lennon signing Chapman's album . Chapman later said in an interview that he tried to get Goresh to stay, and that he asked another Lennon fan lingering at the building's entrance to go out with him that night . He suggested that if the girl had accepted his invitation, or the photographer had stayed, he would not have murdered Lennon that evening; but he probably would have tried another day . </P> <P> Around 10: 50 p.m., the Lennons' limousine returned to the Dakota . Lennon and Ono got out, passed Chapman and walked toward the archway entrance of the building . From the street behind them, Chapman fired three shots from a . 38 special revolver, two of which hit Lennon in the chest and one in the left arm, puncturing the left lung and left subclavian artery . </P> <P> At the time, one newspaper reported that before Chapman fired, he softly called out "Mr. Lennon" and dropped into a crouched position . Chapman said that he does not recall saying anything and that Lennon did not turn around . </P> <P> Chapman remained at the scene, appearing to be reading The Catcher in the Rye, until the police arrived . The police officers who first responded, recognizing that Lennon's wounds were severe, decided not to wait for an ambulance and rushed him to Roosevelt Hospital in a squad car . Chapman was arrested without incident . In his statement to police three hours later, Chapman stated, "I'm sure the big part of me is Holden Caulfield, who is the main person in the book . The small part of me must be the Devil ." Lennon was pronounced dead by Dr. Stephan Lynn at 11: 07 p.m. at St. Luke's - Roosevelt Hospital Center . </P>

Who had a copy of catcher in the rye