Yoko Ono Tweets Photo of Lennon's Blood-Stained Glasses in Plea for Gun Control

Yoko Ono, wife of musical legend John Lennon, today tweeted a picture of the glasses worn by her husband when he was shot dead on December 8, 1980. Along with the photo, Ono posted: "Over 1,057,000 people have been killed by guns in the USA since John Lennon was shot and killed on 8 Dec 1980".ys US has become like 'war zone'

At 10:50 pm on December 8 1980, Lennon and Ono were returning to their New York apartment in The Dakota when crazed fan Mark David Chapman shot Lennon in the back four times at the entrance to the building. Lennon was taken to the emergency room of nearby Roosevelt Hospital and was pronounced dead on arrival at 11:07 pm.Earlier that evening, Lennon had autographed a copy of Double Fantasy for Chapman.

Born and raised in Liverpool, as a teenager Lennon became involved in the skiffle craze; his first band, the Quarrymen, evolved into the Beatles in 1960. As the group disintegrated towards the end of the decade, Lennon embarked on a solo career that produced the critically acclaimed albums John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band and Imagine, and iconic songs such as "Give Peace a Chance" and "Imagine".

After his marriage to Yoko Ono in 1969, he changed his name to John Ono Lennon. Lennon disengaged himself from the music business in 1975 to devote time to raising his infant son Sean, but re-emerged with Ono in 1980 with the new album Double Fantasy. He was murdered three weeks after its release.