John Lennon's last words will be revealed for the first time by a witness in a new Apple TV documentary about the night the Beatle member was murdered.
In Lennon: Murder Without A Trial, the caretaker of the Dakota Building in Manhattan – where Lennon was shot dead on December 8, 1980 – will speak publicly about the tragedy for the first time.
Jay Hastings, who worked at the building's front desk and heard Lennon's last words, says the star shouted “I'm shot” before falling to the ground.
'He runs past me. He says, “I got shot.” Blood came out of his mouth. He just fell to the ground. I rolled him half onto his back, took off his glasses and placed them on the desk. And Yoko shouted, 'Get an ambulance, get an ambulance, get an ambulance,'” says Mr. Hastings.
Taxi driver Richard Peterson sat in his parked car outside the Dakota Building and witnessed the shooting. He says, “Lennon walked in and this guy said, 'John Lennon.' He was a fat man. I look at him through the front window of my taxi. I look at him and shoot him. This guy just shot John Lennon.”
He adds, “I thought they were making a movie, but I didn't see any lights or cameras or anything, so I realized, hey, this isn't a movie.”
John Lennon (pictured) was shot outside the Dakota Building in Manhattan on December 8, 1980 as he returned home
A crowd gathered outside the Dakota apartment complex (pictured) after Lennon, who lived there, was shot in front of the building hours earlier
The documentary, out on December 6, will also reveal audio recordings of Lennon's killer Mark Chapman speaking to his lawyers ahead of his trial. The Telegraph reported.
Asked about his motives for his legal team's shooting of the star, Chapman references the Beatles song, saying: 'All You Need Is Love, have you ever heard that? Well, here's what I say to that: all you need is love and $250 million. He was the biggest, fakest prick who ever lived.”
Peter Cullen, an NYPD officer, arrested Chapman who remained at the scene after the shooting with a copy of The Catcher In The Rye in his hand.
Mr Cullen said: 'We put the handcuffs on him and it was strange – there was no resistance at all. He even apologized to us. He said, 'Gosh, I'm sorry guys, I ruined your night.' I say, 'You're kidding. Do you know you just ruined your whole life?”
The documentary will also look at the aftermath of the shooting and delve deeply into conspiracy theories that emerged after Lennon's death.
The Beatles legend was shot dead at the age of 40 by unruly fan Chapman outside his New York City home.
Apple TV+'s new documentary entitled 'John Lennon: Murder Without a Trial' will also reveal never-before-seen crime scene photos that shed light on Lennon's death.
Some of the star's closest friends will tell their stories about one of history's most famous murders.
The documentary also reveals audio recordings of Lennon's killer Mark Chapman (pictured) speaking to his lawyers ahead of his trial, The Telegraph reported.
Lennon was the founder, co-songwriter, co-lead singer and rhythm guitarist of the Beatles
Producers secured access to the New York City Police Department, the Board of Parole and the district attorney's office documents for the three-part documentary.
It will aim to explore Lennon's effect on society. The series is produced by 72 Films and narrated by Kiefer Sutherland.
It comes after Sir Paul McCartney told how he would have been wracked with guilt if he had not mended his friendship with Lennon before he was murdered.
John left The Beatles in 1969 and had become embroiled in legal battles over the band's back catalogue, causing tension between him and his former songwriter Sir Paul, now 81.
In the mid-1970s they rekindled their friendship and Sir Paul spent time at the house John shared with his second wife Yoko Ono in New York.
But Sir Paul admits he would have been devastated if he had not had the chance to mend the cracks in his relationship with John before he was killed.
Sir Paul said on the McCartney: A Life in Lyrics podcast: 'In the end I was very happy when he was killed that I had had some really good times with him before that happened.
“It would have been the worst thing in the world if he had just been murdered and we were still in a bad relationship. That would have been a big guilt trip for me.
'Luckily we were friendly, we talked about baking bread.
'You have to remember that I took him to court, and his friends from Liverpool, friends for life, to court. There is still a lot to be done.'