Today in History: Former Marine opens fire on civilians in Austin, Texas
The University of Texas tower remained closed for 33 years before reopening in 1999.
Charles Whitman opened fire on a group of civilians 52 years ago in Austin, Texas, hitting people as far as 457m away, shooting at them for 90 minutes, killing 16 innocent individuals. He killed a further two people prior to the shooting incident.
Whitman, a former Eagle Scout and Marine, began to suffer serious mental problems after his mother left his father in March 1966. On 29 March, he told a psychiatrist that he was having uncontrollable fits of anger. He purportedly even told this doctor that he was thinking about going up to the tower with a rifle and shooting people.
On 31 July, Whitman wrote a note about his violent impulses, saying, “After my death, I wish an autopsy on me be performed to see if there’s any mental disorders.” That night, between midnight and 3am on 1 August, Whitman went to the home of his mother, Margaret, where he stabbed and shot her. Upon returning to his own home, he stabbed his wife, Kathleen, to death. In a note, he professed his love for both women, saying he had killed them to spare them future humiliation and – in the case of his mother – suffering.
The following morning, Whitman headed for the tower with several pistols and a rifle after stopping off at a gun store to buy boxes of ammunition and a carbine. Carrying food and other supplies, he proceeded to the observation platform, killing the receptionist and two tourists before unpacking his rifle and telescope and hunting down the people below.
He continued firing as officers searched for a chance to get a shot at him. By the end of his rampage, 17 people (including Whitman himself and an unborn baby) were dead, and another 31 were injured. An 18th person, David Gunby, died 35 years later in 2001 as a result of injuries sustained in the massacre.
Gunby had been returning to the library for a forgotten book when a shot passed through his upper left arm and entered his abdomen, severing his small intestine. During surgery, it was discovered that Gunby only had one functioning kidney, and that it had now been severely damaged. He was in great pain for the rest of his life, and died one week after discontinuing dialysis in 2001.
Whitman was eventually shot to death after courageous Austin police officers and civilians charged up the stairs of the tower to subdue him. He was shot three times before he was declared dead.
A movie about the day’s horrific events, the majority of which was filmed in animated form, was released in 2016.
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