Texas was ground zero for americas mass shootings the. For 30 minutes, authorities say santa fe high school was. Houston mccoy, police officer who shot ut tower sniper. He then uloaded his gear and took an elevator to the reception area on the 30th floor. Wikiproject university of texas at austinpage notice. Dec 27, 2012 houston mccoy, the austin police officer who stopped university of texas tower sniper charles whitman more than 46 years ago, died early thursday afternoon in a rest home in his hometown of menard.
Incidents that occurred as a result of police actions. As part of this program, whitman was sent to the university of texas to begin in the. Read the latest on the las vegas shooting with thursdays live updates a trained sharpshooter firing from atop the university of texas tower. On tragic anniversary, texas allows guns on campus cbs news. A man perched atop the university of texas clock tower began firing on the people below. The ut tower shooting on august 1, 1966, charles whitman climbed to the top of the university of texas tower with three rifles, two pistols, and a sawedoff shotgun. This incident is best known as the texas tower sniper and is credited as being the sparking event for the birth of swat. Pheasants are released from the tower, climbing high and sailing over the stations at. Permission is granted to copy, distribute andor modify this document under the terms of the gnu free documentation license, version 1. This list details homicides committed with firearms in the state of texas that have a wikipedia article for the killing, the killer, or a related subject. Til charles whitman texas tower shooter asked to have an autopsy after his death to see what caused him to kill. By the time we got to the ambulance, the driver had been shot. Charles joseph whitman june 24, 1941 august 1, 1966 was a student at the university of texas at austin who killed 14 people and wounded 32 others as part of a shooting rampage on and around the campus of the university of texas at austin.
After the shooting spree ended, people amassed at the base of the tower in shock. New histories of the texas tower shootings, 50 years later. Texas tower shooting of 1966, also called university of texas clock tower shooting, mass shooting in austin, texas, on august 1, 1966, in which charles whitman, a student and ex marine, fired down from the clock tower on the campus of the university of texas, killing 14 people and wounding 31 others one of whom died years later from. The university of texas tower shooting, one of the worst mass murders in american history, took place on august 1, 1966, on and around the.
Over the next 96 minutes he shot and killed more people and injured 31. Now you can enjoy european style shooting, with out paying the outrageous hunt fees currently charged in england and spain. The day before the shootings, whitman had bought a pair of binoculars from a hardware store. Oct 04, 2017 paddock shot down from the 32nd floor of the mandalay bay, using the same lethal tactic as ut tower gunman charles whitman, considered the first modern mass shooter. May 19, 2018 students were just starting their day.
Remembering the texas tower shooting fifty years to the day after charles whitman climbed the texas tower, campus carry becomes law. Whitman, an enrolled student, took control of the observation deck of the iconic tower and fired various weapons onto the campus and its surrounding. In 2016, keith maitlands powerful documentary tower, and pamela colloffs moving texas monthly article, the reckoning, gave us far more information about claire wilson now claire james than we have about any of the other people who were wounded or killed that day. A university of texas at austin student named charles whitman opened fire from the 28th floor of the campus iconic tower.
May 19, 2008 this incident is best known as the texas tower sniper and is credited as being the sparking event for the birth of swat. August will mark 50 years since the shooting, and an indepth report in. Mondays campus shooting at virginia tech was the deadliest in u. Tower film looks at americas first mass shooting in 1966. A graduate class at the university of texas at austin has put together a new website about the mass shooting at the university, which took place fifty years ago monday. Oct 18, 2016 in 1966, charles whitman, then 25, killed people and wounded dozens of others from the university of texas clock tower. Psychology programs, counseling psychology, adhd facts, mental illness. By the end of the night, an estimated 800 people and some 100 police officers will be in the downtown metro area. Main building university of texas at austin wikipedia. Fifty years after the first campus massacre, a question. Before mondays virginia tech deaths, the deadliest campus shooting in the united states was at the university of texas on aug. Gary lavergnes examination of the texas tower massacre will, without doubt, remain the definitive account of this tragic event. Tippit, a dallas police officer who had spotted him in a local neighborhood. Our new european driven course is both challenging and exciting, boasting 10 shooting stations surrounding a 68 foot tall release tower.
The university of texas tower shooting was a major school shooting. Theres a sniper up on the tower and hes shooting people. University of texas tower shooting 1966 the handbook. A rifle reportedly used to carry out one of the worst killing sprees in texas history is up for sale in dallas by a gun collector. Las vegas shooting parallels 1966 texas tower killings. Oct 04, 2017 texas was ground zero for americas mass shootings jeff shero wrote in the village voice of the university tower shooting in 1966, one must be surprised it doesnt occur more often by r. On august 1, 1966, after stabbing his mother and his wife to death the night before, charles. A crowd of curious people gather at the entrance to the univ. Very early on the morning of august 1, 1966, whitman murdered his wife and mother.
The author traces whitmans life from beginning to end and, in so doing, gets uncomfortably close to the darkest depths of a young man who appeared to be too good to be. He would drag his horrific collection of weapons all the way to the entrance of the texas tower, entering around 11. Paddock shot down from the 32nd floor of the mandalay bay, using the same lethal tactic as ut tower gunman charles whitman, considered the first modern mass shooter. See more ideas about charles whitman, tower and austin police. During the first mass school shooting, armed students fired back now texas is letting students carry guns on college campuses again in order to defend themselves. University of texas tower sniper infamous crime scenes. Officials present timeline for sutherland springs church. Having already killed his wife and mother the same day, charles whitman, a student and former marine sharpshooter, took a small arsenal to the observation deck of the university of texas clock tower in austin and, just before noon, began shooting at the campus below. By katy mcdowall in 40 acres, special on august 1, 2012 at 5. By kathy wise published in frontburner july 28, 2016 10. People begin to gather for one such protest in downtown dallas. On august 1, 1966, he used knives in the slayings of his mother and his wife in their respective homes and then went to the university of texas in austin with multiple firearms and began indiscriminately shooting. From ut tower to dallas, the worst shootings in texas history.
Charles joseph whitman june 24, 1941 august 1, 1966 was an american mass murderer who became infamous as the texas tower sniper. On august 1, 1966 exmarine charles whitman walked to the top of the the university of texas 307foot clock tower and shot at students and austinites for. On august 1, 1966, my dads 15th birthday, charles whitman an architectural engineering student at ut went to the towers observation deck above the 29th floor. Jul 28, 2016 remembering the texas tower shooting fifty years to the day after charles whitman climbed the texas tower, campus carry becomes law. The ut tower shooting was the first mass campus murder in america, when charles whitman staked out on the observation deck and opened fire on. Jul 08, 2016 a university of texas at austin student named charles whitman opened fire from the 28th floor of the campus iconic tower. Remembering the ut tower shooting, 46 years later the alcalde. Behind the tower is a project of the public history seminar at ut austin and was initially published the summer of 2016. Stephen willeford, right, hugs johnnie langendorff during a vigil for the victims of the first baptist church shooting monday, nov. Houston mccoy, the austin police officer who stopped university of texas tower sniper charles whitman more than 46 years ago, died early thursday afternoon in a. Tower is a powerful, haunting depiction of the clock tower shooting that unfolds as if the audience is experiencing the incident in realtime. After 23 years, the university of texas decided thursday nov. I had just sat down to have my lunch in the hospital cafeteria which was located on the ground floor of the hospital.
Firing from the top of a tower on campus, charles whitman. The las vegas killing rampage bears an eerie resemblance to the university of texas tower tragedy in 1966 and reminds us of just how vulnerable we. The force of the explosions created a 15foot tidal wave. Much more information is available about some of the shooting victims than others. Four minutes after whitman began shooting from the tower, a history professor was the first to telephone the austin police department, at 11. Tower pays tribute to a 1966 campus shooting that was pushed aside fourteen people were killed by a sniper at the university of texas on aug. Texas tower shooting of 1966 background, chronology, map.
Whitman, an enrolled student, took control of the observation deck of the iconic tower and fired various weapons onto the campus and its surrounding business. Officials present timeline for sutherland springs church shooting. Ironically, the new campus carry law went into effect in the lone star state on the 50th anniversary of the texas clock tower mass shooting at the university of. University of texas tower sniper infamous crime scenes on. Austin police officer monika mccoy near the university of texas tower, where her father, houston mccoy was one of the responding officers when sniper charles whitman was shot 50 years ago.
Texas tower shooting of 1966, in which charles whitman fired from the clock tower on the university of texas campus, killing 14 people. After the autopsy it was discovered that he had a tumor pressing on his brain, which could have been the reason for his shooting. This is a chronological list of school shootings in the united states, including shootings on school buses any shooting that occurred at a k12 public or private school, as well as at colleges and universities are included excluded from this list are the following. Today marks the 40th anniversary of the university of texas tower shootings. According to his biography on the radio port douglas website, he also worked as a. For 30 minutes, authorities say santa fe high school was under siege by a teenage gunman armed with a.
Rifle reported to be used in charles whitman killing spree. Maitland, a filmmaker, channelled his curiosity into tower, a documentary which opened at new yorks film forum on october 12, and will roll out across the country in the coming months. Oct 14, 2016 maitland, a filmmaker, channelled his curiosity into tower, a documentary which opened at new yorks film forum on october 12, and will roll out across the country in the coming months. During the first mass school shooting, armed students.
Due to his injuries, he was unable to complete the program. How the las vegas shooting could change police tactics. Police carry a victim of the university of texas sniper, 1966. The towers clock has been stopped only once before. Aug 01, 2016 the day before the shootings, whitman had bought a pair of binoculars from a hardware store. Nov 12, 2009 on 5 november people were killed and 30 injured in the worst mass shooting at a military base in the united states. When the sun went down, whitman had shot 49 and killed 16. While travelling in an open car, president kennedy was killed by a lone sniper, lee harvey oswald, who then murdered j. The university of texas tower shooting, one of the worst mass murders in american history, took place on august 1, 1966, on and around the university of texas at austin ut campus when charles j.
On the day of the ut tower shooting august 1, 1966 i was employed at st. Whitman from the university of texas tower observation deck on august 1, 1966. Charles whitman murderpedia, the encyclopedia of murderers. Tower pays tribute to a 1966 campus shooting that was. On august 1, 1966, after stabbing his mother and his wife to death the night before, charles whitman, a former marine, took rifles and other weapons to the observation deck atop the main building tower at the university of texas at austin, then opened fire indiscriminately on people on the surrounding campus and streets. Apr 12, 2017 explore approvedjdfansis board texas tower shooting on. The remington 700 rifle used by exmarine charles whitman during. Texas was ground zero for americas mass shootings jeff shero wrote in the village voice of the university tower shooting in 1966, one must be surprised it doesnt occur more often by r.
He was at ut austin in the summer of 1966 to study persian, because the peace corps. A copy of the license is included in the section entitled gnu free documentation license. Aug 01, 2016 ironically, the new campus carry law went into effect in the lone star state on the 50th anniversary of the texas clock tower mass shooting at the university of texas. Secondary research materials include a sniper in the tower, a biography of. University of texas tower shooting 1966 the handbook of.
Before he was killed by police, whitman took the lives of 14 more people and. Remembering the ut tower shooting, 46 years later the. It took place in austin, texas at university of texas at austin. Til charles whitman texas tower shooter asked to have an. In 1966 sleepy austin was shattered by ut tower sniper. Texas tower shooting of 1966, also called university of texas clock tower shooting, mass shooting in austin, texas, on august 1, 1966, in which charles whitman, a student and exmarine, fired down from the clock tower on the campus of the university of texas, killing 14 people and wounding 31 others one of whom died years later from. Nov 06, 2017 stephen willeford, right, hugs johnnie langendorff during a vigil for the victims of the first baptist church shooting monday, nov. Memories of the 1966 ut tower shooting the bullock texas. Three were killed inside the universitys tower and ten killed from the observation. This is a timeline of events surrounding the carnage at fort hood in texas. The following derives primarily from those two sources.
New histories of the ut tower shooting is a public history of the mass shooting that charles whitman carried out at ut austin on august 1, 1966, the collective work of eleven graduate students and one history professor at the university of texas at austin. University of texas tower shooting simple english wikipedia. On august 1, 1966, he used knives in the slayings of his mother and his wife in their respective homes and then went to the university of texas in austin with multiple firearms and began indiscriminately shooting at people. A us soldier, dressed in army uniform, enters the soldier readiness center, armed with two nonmilitary issue pistols. Ut tower mass shooter charles whitman pioneered the lethal. Aug 01, 2012 remembering the ut tower shooting, 46 years later by katy mcdowall in 40 acres, special on august 1, 2012 at 5.