The triggerman was apprehended almost immediately. He was identified as Mehmet Ali Agca, a Turkish terrorist. Agca had publicly vowed to kill the pope during the potiff's 1979 visit to Turkey.

这个杀手几乎就地被擒。他被认出叫穆罕默德·阿里·阿克查，是个土耳其恐怖主义者。1979年教皇访问土耳其时，阿克查曾公开发誓要将他杀掉。