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 31 others, as part of a shooting rampage from the observation deck of the University's 32-story administrative building on August 1, 1966. He did this shortly after murdering his wife and mother. He was eventually shot and killed by Austin police. Charles S. Whitman (September 29, 1868 - March 29, 1947) served as Republican Governor of New York between 1915 and 1919. ... Image File history File links Whitman1963Yearbook. ... is the 175th day of the year (176th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses, see 1941 (disambiguation). ... Location of Lake Worth, in Palm Beach County, Florida Lake Worth is a city in Palm Beach County, Florida, named after a lake who takes its name from General William J. Worth, who led U.S. forces during the Second Seminole War. ... is the 213th day of the year (214th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1966 (MCMLXVI) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar) of the 1966 Gregorian calendar. ... Austin is the capital of the U.S. state of Texas and the seat of Travis County. ... This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ... University of Texas redirects here. ... is the 175th day of the year (176th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses, see 1941 (disambiguation). ... is the 213th day of the year (214th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1966 (MCMLXVI) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar) of the 1966 Gregorian calendar. ... University of Texas redirects here. ... The Main Building Tower in the foreground. ... is the 213th day of the year (214th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1966 (MCMLXVI) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar) of the 1966 Gregorian calendar. ... Austin is the capital of the U.S. state of Texas and the seat of Travis County. ...

An autopsy requested in Whitman's suicide note revealed that he had a Glioblastoma brain tumor. This has led to speculation that the tumor was responsible for his rampage.^[1] A glioma is a type of primary central nervous system (CNS) tumor that arises from glial cells. ... A brain tumor is any intracranial tumor created by abnormal and uncontrolled cell division, normally either in the brain itself (neurons, glial cells (astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, ependymal cells), lymphatic tissue, blood vessels), in the cranial nerves (myelin-producing Schwann cells), in the brain envelopes (meninges), skull, pituitary and pineal gland, or...

Background

A widely released image, of Charles Whitman on a family vacation holding two rifles.

The eldest of three brothers raised on South L Street in Lake Worth, Florida, Whitman, who had scored 138 on an IQ test at the age of 6, attended St. Ann's High School in West Palm Beach, where he was a pitcher on the school's baseball team.^[2] He also took five years of piano lessons,^[3] and enjoyed playing with toy guns.^[4] Image File history File links Whitman_as_a_child. ... Image File history File links Whitman_as_a_child. ... Location of Lake Worth, in Palm Beach County, Florida Lake Worth is a city in Palm Beach County, Florida, named after a lake who takes its name from General William J. Worth, who led U.S. forces during the Second Seminole War. ... ... West Palm Beach is a city located in Palm Beach County, Florida. ...

All three brothers served as altar boys at Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church,^[5] and Whitman chose the Confirmation name Joseph for himself.^[6] As a 12-year-old, he was among the youngest ever to achieve Eagle Scout and one of the first in Lake Worth to do so, to his father's delight.^[7][8] When Whitman was 14 and still serving as an altar boy, his Scout leader Joseph Leduc completed seminary and served as the priest of Sacred Heart for a month. Leduc, later a confidant of Whitman, was a family friend who had accompanied Whitman and his father on several hunting trips. At the age of 16, Whitman underwent a routine appendectomy and was hospitalized following a motorcycle accident,^[9] An altar server is a lay assistant to a member of the clergy during a religious service. ... Confirmation is a rite used in many Christian Churches. ... An Eagle Scout is a Scout with the highest rank attainable in the Boy Scouting program of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA). ... A Scoutmaster is the adult leader of a Troop in Boy Scouts. ... For the Ecuadorian artist, see Manuel Rendón Seminario. ... An appendicectomy (or appendectomy) is the surgical removal of the vermiform appendix. ... For other uses, see Motorcycle (disambiguation). ...

The wedding of Kathy Leissner and Charles Whitman

Against his father's wishes, Whitman joined the Marines on July 6, 1959. He explained to Fr. Leduc that he had come home drunk several weeks earlier and his father had hit him repeatedly and pushed him into the family's swimming pool. While Whitman was aboard a train headed towards Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, his father telephoned "some branch of Federal Government" to have his son's enlistment cancelled, but was rebuffed.^[5] Image File history File links Whitman-marriage. ... Image File history File links Whitman-marriage. ... is the 187th day of the year (188th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1959 (MCMLIX) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island is an 8,095 acre (32. ...

Following his enlistment, Whitman was accepted into the University of Texas' mechanical engineering program on September 15, 1961 through a USMC scholarship. His hobbies at this point included karate, scuba diving, and hunting.^[10] This last hobby got him into trouble at the University, when he was involved in a "teenage prank" in which he shot a deer, dragged it to his dormitory, and skinned it in his shower.^[5] As a result of both this incident and sub-standard grades, Whitman's scholarship was withdrawn in 1963.^[11] Mechanical Engineering is an engineering discipline that involves the application of principles of physics for analysis, design, manufacturing, and maintenance of mechanical systems. ... is the 258th day of the year (259th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1961 (MCMLXI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The United States Marine Corps (USMC) is a branch of the United States military responsible for providing force projection from the sea,[1] using the mobility of the U.S. Navy to rapidly deliver combined-arms task forces and is one of seven uniformed services. ... For other uses, see Karate (disambiguation). ... Scuba diving is swimming underwater while using self-contained breathing equipment. ...

In August 1962, Whitman married Kathleen Frances Leissner, another University of Texas student, in a wedding that was held in Kathy's hometown of Needville, Texas, but presided over by Fr. Leduc. The following year, he returned to active duty at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, where he was both promoted to Lance Corporal and involved in an accident in which his Jeep rolled over an embankment. After rescuing his pinned comrade, Whitman was hospitalized for four days.^[9] That November, Whitman was court-martialed for gambling, possessing a personal firearm on base, and threatening another Marine over a $30 loan for which Whitman demanded $15 interest. He was sentenced to 30 days of confinement and 90 days of hard labor and was demoted to the rank of Private.^[12] Needville is a city in Fort Bend County, Texas, United States. ... Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune is near Jacksonville, North Carolina, on the Atlantic seaboard of the United States. ... Official language(s) English Capital Raleigh Largest city Charlotte Largest metro area Charlotte metro area Area  Ranked 28th  - Total 53,865 sq mi (139,509 km²)  - Width 150 miles (240 km)  - Length 560[1] miles (900 km)  - % water 9. ... Lance Corporal (LCpl or L/Cpl) is a military rank used by some elements of the British, Commonwealth, and U.S. armed forces. ... For other uses, see Jeep (disambiguation). ... A court-martial (plural courts-martial) is a military court that determines punishments for members of the military subject to military law. ...

In December 1964, Whitman was honorably discharged from the Marines and returned to the University of Texas, this time enrolling in its architectural engineering program. Now lacking his scholarship, Whitman worked first as a bill collector for Standard Finance Company and later as a bank teller at Austin National Bank. By 1965, he had taken a temporary job with Central Freight Lines and worked as a traffic surveyor for the Texas Highway Department. He also volunteered as a Scoutmaster for Austin Scout Troop 5, while Kathy worked as a biology teacher at Lanier High School. A military discharge is given when a member of the armed forces is released from his or her obligation to serve. ... A Scoutmaster is the adult leader of a Troop in Boy Scouts. ... Scouting in Texas has a long history, from the 1910s to the present day, serving thousands of youth in programs that suit the environment in which they live. ...

Family issues

In 1966, Whitman's mother Margaret announced she was obtaining a divorce. Whitman drove to Florida to help his mother move to Austin, Texas, where she found work in a cafeteria. The move prompted his youngest brother John to move out, as well. Meanwhile, his brother Patrick decided to continue living with their father, whose plumbing supply business employed him.

Whitman's father began to telephone Whitman several times a week, pleading with him to convince his mother to give the marriage another try, but Whitman refused.

Shortly afterwards, John was arrested for throwing a rock through a window and released after paying a $25 fine.^[2]

Declining health

Whitman's daily journal.

In 1966, Whitman discussed his depression with the University's doctor, Jan Cochrun, who prescribed Valium and recommended he visit campus psychiatrist Maurice Dean Heatly. On March 29, 1966, Whitman met with Heatly and spent an hour explaining his frustration with his parents' separation and his increasing strains at work and school. During the interview, he made a remark about feeling the urge to "start shooting people with a deer rifle" from the University tower. Heatly noted that Whitman was "oozing with hostility", yet never returned.^[12] Whitman mentioned the visit with Heatly in his final suicide notes, saying that it was to "no avail". By the summer, Whitman was prescribed Dexedrine. Image File history File links Whitman-diary. ... Image File history File links Whitman-diary. ... On the Threshold of Eternity. ... Diazepam (IPA: ), first marketed as Valium by Hoffmann-La Roche) is a benzodiazepine derivative drug. ... is the 88th day of the year (89th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1966 (MCMLXVI) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar) of the 1966 Gregorian calendar. ... Dextroamphetamine is a powerful psychostimulant which produces increased wakefulness, energy and self-confidence in association with decreased fatigue and appetite. ...

Although Whitman had been prescribed drugs, the autopsy could not establish if he had consumed any prior to the attacks. However, it was revealed during the autopsy that Whitman had a cancerous glioblastoma tumor in the hypothalamus region of his brain. Some have theorized that it may have been pressed against the nearby amygdala, which can affect emotive passion. This has led some neurologists to speculate that his medical condition was in some way responsible for the attacks.^[13][14] This article is about the medical procedure. ... Cancer is a class of diseases or disorders characterized by uncontrolled division of cells and the ability of these to spread, either by direct growth into adjacent tissue through invasion, or by implantation into distant sites by metastasis (where cancer cells are transported through the bloodstream or lymphatic system). ... A glioma is a type of primary central nervous system (CNS) tumor that arises from glial cells. ... For malignant tumors specifically, see cancer. ... The hypothalamus links the nervous system to the endocrine system via the pituitary gland (hypophysis). ... This article is about part of the human brain. ...

Fr. Leduc met with Whitman for the last time two months prior to the shootings and said that Whitman had confided that he had lost his faith, and no longer considered himself a practicing Catholic.^{[citation needed]} The term lapsed Catholic describes a person raised as a Roman Catholic who no longer practices the religion. ...

After the attacks, a study of Whitman's journal showed him lamenting that he had acted violently towards Kathy, and that he was resolved both not to follow his father's abusive example and to be a good husband. However, John and Fran Morgan, close friends of Whitman's, later told the Department of Public Safety that he had confided in them that he had struck Kathy on three occasions.^{[citation needed]} The Department of Public Safety is a state or local government umbrella agency in the United States which serves to assist the certain agencies in their services by providing administrative, financial, and technical services and support for core public safety functions for some or all of the following: Fire and...

Leadup to the shootings

This section does not cite any references or sources. (October 2007) Please improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed.

Six images from the two rolls of film Whitman asked to be developed. They highlight a trip to Barton Springs and a trip with Kathy and his brother John to the Alamo.

The day before the shootings, Whitman purchased binoculars and a knife from Davis' Hardware, as well as Spam from a 7-Eleven store. He then picked up Kathy from her summer job as a Bell operator, and they went to a matinée before meeting his mother for lunch at her job. Image File history File links Question_book-3. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1254x666, 167 KB) This work is copyrighted and unlicensed. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1254x666, 167 KB) This work is copyrighted and unlicensed. ... The Barton Springs are four natural springs located on the grounds of Zilker Park in Austin, Texas. ... The Alamo (San Antonio de Valero Mission) is a former mission and fortress compound, now a museum, in San Antonio, Texas. ... This article is about the canned meat product. ... For other uses, see 7-Eleven (disambiguation). ... The Bell System was a trademark and service mark used by the United States telecommunications company American Telephone & Telegraph Company (AT&T) and its affiliated companies to co-brand their extensive circuit-switched telephone network and their affiliations with each other. ... Look up matinée in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

Around 4:00 PM, they went to visit friends John and Fran Morgan, who lived in the same neighborhood. They left at approximately 5:30 so that Kathy could leave for her 6:00-10:00 PM shift that night. At 6:45, Whitman began typing his suicide note, a portion of which read:

I do not quite understand what it is that compels me to type this letter. Perhaps it is to leave some vague reason for the actions I have recently performed. I do not really understand myself these days. I am supposed to be an average reasonable and intelligent young man. However, lately (I cannot recall when it started) I have been a victim of many unusual and irrational thoughts.

The note explained that he had decided to murder both his mother and wife, but made no mention of the coming attacks at the university. He also requested that an autopsy be done after his death, to determine if there had been anything to explain his actions and increasing headaches. He willed any money from his estate to mental health research, saying that he hoped it would prevent others from following his route.

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The image above is proposed for deletion. See images and media for deletion to help reach a consensus on what to do.

Just after midnight, he killed his mother Margaret. The exact method is disputed, but it seemed he had rendered her unconscious before stabbing her in the heart. He returned to his suicide note, now writing by hand: Image File history File links Whitman's_mother. ... Image File history File links Whitman's_mother. ...

To Whom It May Concern: I have just taken my mother's life. I am very upset over having done it. However, I feel that if there is a heaven she is definitely there now...I am truly sorry...Let there be no doubt in your mind that I loved this woman with all my heart.

Whitman returned to his home at 906 Jewell Street and stabbed Kathy five times as she slept, leaving another note that read:

I imagine it appears that I brutally killed both of my loved ones. I was only trying to do a quick thorough job...If my life insurance policy is valid please pay off my debts...donate the rest anonymously to a mental health foundation. Maybe research can prevent further tragedies of this type.

He wrote notes to each of his brothers and his father and left instructions in the apartment that the two canisters of film he left on the table should be developed, and the puppy Schocie should be given to Kathy's parents.

Tower shootings

Whitman arrives at the Tower

At 5:45 a.m. on Monday, August 1, 1966, Whitman phoned Kathy's supervisor at Bell to explain that she was sick and could not make her shift that day. He made a similar phone call to Margaret's workplace about five hours later. For other uses, see Shotgun (disambiguation). ... The Model 700 series of firearms are hunting rifles manufactured by Remington Arms since 1962. ... Leupold was founded in Portland, Oregon in 1907, originally repairing surveying equipment. ... The scope of a given activity or subject is the area or range that it covers. ... Remington Arms is a major American manufacturer of rifles, shotguns, other firearms, revolvers and ammunition. ... The M1 Carbine (formally the United States Carbine, Caliber . ... “.357” redirects here. ... Galesi Arms was an Italian gun manufacturer formally named Industria Armi Galesi which was founded in 1910. ... The Parabellum-Pistole (Pistol Parabellum), popularly known as the Luger pistol is a semi-automatic self-loading pistol patented by Georg Luger in 1898 and manufactured by Deutsche Waffen- und Munitionsfabriken (DWM) starting in 1900. ... The Camillus Cutlery Company is one of the oldest knife manufacturers in the United States. ... A pocket knife is a type of folding knife with a blade that fits inside the handle. ... A tied rebar beam cage. ... A body bag is a non-porous bag designed to contain a human body, used for the storage and transport of corpses. ... Regency TR-1. ... Papermate, a division of Newell Rubbermaid is a company that makes stationery. ... Nabisco logo Nabisco is an American manufacturer of cookies and snacks, including brands such as Chips Ahoy!, Fig Newtons, Mallomars, Oreos, Premium Crackers, Ritz Crackers, Teddy Grahams, Triscuits, Wheat Thins, and Chicken in a Biskit. ... For other uses, see Hammer (disambiguation). ... Canteen has several different meanings: Canteen (place), a private cafe, restaurant, or cafeteria at a school, office, or military base. ... Binocular telescopes, or binoculars, (also known as field glasses) are two identical or mirror-symmetrical telescopes mounted side-by-side and aligned to point accurately in the same direction, allowing the viewer to use both eyes (binocular vision) when viewing distant objects. ... Lighter fluid may refer to: Butane, a highly flammable, colorless, easily liquefied gas used in cigarette lighters Naphtha, a volatile flammable liquid hydrocarbon mixture used in wick type lighters A aliphatic petroleum solvent (Aliphatic compound) used in lighting a barbecue Methylated spirit or denatured alcohol also used in lighting a... new pipe wrench 1869 patent drawing The pipe wrench, or Stillson® wrench is an adjustable wrench used for turning soft iron pipes and fittings with a rounded surface. ... Four double-A batteries In science and technology, a battery is a device that stores energy and makes it available in an electrical form. ... Scotch Tape denotes the line of adhesive tapes manufactured by 3M as part of the companys Scotch brand. ... Glasses, spectacles, or eyeglasses are frames bearing lenses worn in front of the eyes, sometimes for purely aesthetic reasons but normally for vision correction or eye protection. ... Silicone rubber earplugs for protection against water, dust etc. ... Mennen is now a brand of the Colgate Company. ... For the South Park episode, see Toilet Paper (South Park episode). ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... For other uses, see Honey (disambiguation). ... This article is about the canned meat product. ... Planters Peanuts Planters is an American snack food company, best known for its peanuts and the Mr. ... is the 213th day of the year (214th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1966 (MCMLXVI) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar) of the 1966 Gregorian calendar. ...

Whitman rented a dolly from Austin Rental Company and cashed $250 worth of checks at the bank before returning to Davis' Hardware and purchasing an M1 Carbine, explaining that he wanted to go hunting for wild hogs. He also went to Sears and purchased a shotgun and a green rifle case. After sawing off the shotgun barrel while chatting with postman Chester Arrington, Whitman packed it together with a Remington 700 bolt-action hunting rifle with a 4x Leupold Scope, the M1 Carbine, a 6mm Remington rifle, three pistols, and various other equipment stowed between a wooden crate and his Marine footlocker. Before heading to the tower, he put khaki coveralls on over his shirt and jeans and under a green jacket. Once in the tower, he also donned a white sweatband.^[15] A dolly is a portable anvil used to hold a rivet in position while it is being clenched. ... The M1 Carbine (formally the United States Carbine, Caliber . ... Binomial name Linnaeus, 1758 The wild boar (Sus scrofa) is the wild ancestor of the domestic pig. ... Sears Holdings Corporation (NASDAQ: SHLD) is the fourth largest retailer in the United States, behind Wal-Mart, The Home Depot, and Kroger. ... For other uses, see Shotgun (disambiguation). ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... The Model 700 series of firearms are hunting rifles manufactured by Remington Arms since 1962. ... This article is about the type of clothing. ...

Pushing the rented dolly carrying his equipment, Whitman met security guard Jack Rodman and obtained a parking pass, claiming he had a delivery to make and showing Rodman a card identifying him as a research assistant for the school. He entered the Main Building shortly after 11:30 AM, where he struggled with the elevator until employee Vera Palmer informed him that it had not been powered and turned it on for him. He thanked her and took the elevator to the top floor of the Tower, just beneath the clock face.^[3] The Main Building Tower in the foreground. ...

Whitman then lugged his trunk up three flights of stairs to the observation deck area, where he found a receptionist named Edna Townsley. He knocked her unconscious with the butt of his rifle and concealed her body behind a couch; she later died from her injuries. Moments later, Cheryl Botts and Don Walden, a young couple who had been sightseeing on the deck, returned to the attendant's area, encountering Whitman, who was holding a rifle in each hand. Botts later claimed that she believed that the large red stain on the floor was varnish, and that Whitman was there to shoot pigeons. Whitman and the young couple spoke briefly and the couple left the room. When they were gone, Whitman barricaded the stairway.

Shortly afterwards, two families of tourists were on their way up the stairs when they encountered the barricade. Michael Gabour was attempting to look beyond the barricade when Whitman fired the shotgun at him. Whitman continued to shoot as the families ran back down the stairs. Mark Gabour and his aunt Marguerite Lamport died almost instantly; Michael and his mother Mary were permanently disabled.

Sniper fire commences

Main Building of The University of Texas at Austin. Guadalupe Street is out of frame to the right. (Dobie Center, in the background, was not constructed until 1972.)

The first shots from the tower's outer deck came at approximately 11:48 a.m. A history professor was the first to phone the Austin Police Department, after seeing several students shot in the South Mall gathering center; many others had dismissed the rifle reports, not realizing there actually was gunfire. Eventually, the shootings caused panic as news spread and, after the situation was understood, all active police officers in Austin were ordered to the campus. Other off-duty officers, sheriff's deputies, and Texas Department of Public Safety officers also converged on the area to assist. Download high resolution version (741x903, 87 KB)Personal photo of the UT Tower File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Download high resolution version (741x903, 87 KB)Personal photo of the UT Tower File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... The Main Building Tower in the foreground. ... Austin Police Department (APD) is the principal law enforcement agency serving Austin, Texas. ... The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) is a department of the government of the state of Texas. ...

Once Whitman began facing return gunfire from the authorities and civilians who had brought out their personal firearms to assist police, he used the waterspouts on each side of the tower as gun ports, allowing him to continue shooting largely protected from the gunfire below but also greatly limiting his range of targets. Ramiro Martinez, an officer credited with neutralizing Whitman, later stated in his book that the civilian shooters should be credited, as they made it difficult for Whitman to take careful aim without being hit^[16]. Police lieutenant and sharpshooter Marion Lee reported from a small airplane that there was only one sniper firing from the parapet. The plane circled the tower trying to get a shot at Whitman, but the turbulence shook the plane too badly for him to get Whitman in his sights. As the airplane took fire, Lee asked the pilot, Jim Boutwell, to back away, but "stay close enough to offer him a target and keep him worried." The airplane, which was hit no less than thirteen times^{[citation needed]}, remained on station until the end of the incident. Ramiro Ray Martinez (born 1937 in Kent County, Texas) and Houston McCoy are the two Austin Police Department officers credited with killing sniper Charles Whitman at the University of Texas at Austin on August 1, 1966. ...

Whitman's choice of victims was apparently indiscriminate, and most of them were shot on Guadalupe Street, a major commercial and business district across from the west side of the campus. Efforts to reach the wounded included an armored car and ambulances run by local funeral homes. Ambulance driver Morris Hohmann was responding to victims on West 23rd Street when he was shot in the leg severing an artery. Another ambulance driver quickly attended to Hohmann, who was then taken about ten blocks south of UT to Brackenridge Hospital and the only local emergency room. The Brackenridge administrator declared an emergency, and medical staff raced there to reinforce the on-duty shifts. Following the shootings, queues at both Brackenridge and the Travis County Blood Bank stretched for blocks as people hurried to donate blood.^[17] This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Section of an artery For other uses, see Artery (disambiguation). ... The emergency room is the American English term for a room, or group of rooms, within a hospital that is designed for the treatment of urgent and medical emergencies. ...

Whitman's death

Whitman's body

Police Officer Conner and DPS Agent Cowan remained inside the University to cover the windows on the southeast and northeast sides of the reception area. Meanwhile three other officers, Ramiro Martinez, Houston McCoy, and Jerry Day took hastily deputized citizen Allen Crum up towards the observation deck. Image File history File links Wikisource-logo. ... The original Wikisource logo. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Ramiro Ray Martinez (born 1937 in Kent County, Texas) and Houston McCoy are the two Austin Police Department officers credited with killing sniper Charles Whitman at the University of Texas at Austin on August 1, 1966. ... Houston McCoy on the occasion of convening a grand jury to investigate the Charles Whitman shootings: August 05, 1966. ...

Martinez and McCoy, armed respectively with a .38 revolver and a shotgun, went out on the observation deck, proceeded to the north-east corner of the deck, and spotted Whitman seated on the floor of the north-west corner, watching the south-west corner for any signs of police.

Which of the officers actually killed Whitman has been disputed; both claimed responsibility. McCoy fired his shotgun twice, and Martinez fired six rounds from his revolver before taking the shotgun and approaching the limp Whitman and firing again from up-close. They then took the green towel that Whitman had brought with him, and waved it to those below, indicating that the sniper had been killed.

Whitman and his mother shared a funeral service officiated by Fr. Tom Anglim at his home parish of Sacred Heart in Lake Worth. Due to his status as a former Marine, Charles had a casket draped with an American flag for his burial in Section 16 of the Hillcrest Memorial Park in West Palm Beach, Florida.^[18] Union Jack. ... Nickname: Location in Palm Beach County and the state of Florida. ...

Casualties

Main article: List of Charles Whitman's victims

This list of Charles Whitmans victims includes people who were killed by Charles Whitman. ...

Killed

• Margaret Whitman, killed in her apartment
• Kathy Whitman, killed while she slept
• Edna Townsley, receptionist
• Marguerite Lamport, killed by shotgun on stairs
• Mark Gabour, killed by shotgun on stairs
• Thomas Eckman, shoulder wound, kneeling over Claire Wilson, died in hospital
• Robert Boyer, back wound, visiting physics professor
• Thomas Ashton, chest wound, Peace Corps trainee
• Thomas Karr, spine wound
• Billy Speed, police officer, shoulder/chest wound
• Harry Walchuk, doctoral student and father of six
• Paul Sonntag, shot through the mouth, age 18, hiding behind construction
• Claudia Rutt, age 18, killed helping fiancé Sonntag
• Roy Schmidt, electrician shot outside his truck
• Karen Griffith, chest wound, age 17, died after week in hospital
• Unborn Child, fatally injured when Claire Wilson was shot in her abdomen
• David Gunby, survived the initial shooting but required life-long dialysis as a result of his injuries. More than 30 years after the shooting, he announced he was quitting dialysis and died within a week.

This list of Charles Whitmans victims includes people who were killed by Charles Whitman. ... This list of Charles Whitmans victims includes people who were killed by Charles Whitman. ... This list of Charles Whitmans victims includes people who were killed by Charles Whitman. ... This list of Charles Whitmans victims includes people who were killed by Charles Whitman. ... This list of Charles Whitmans victims includes people who were killed by Charles Whitman. ... This list of Charles Whitmans victims includes people who were killed by Charles Whitman. ... This list of Charles Whitmans victims includes people who were killed by Charles Whitman. ... This list of Charles Whitmans victims includes people who were killed by Charles Whitman. ... It has been suggested that Crisis corps be merged into this article or section. ... This list of Charles Whitmans victims includes people who were killed by Charles Whitman. ... This list of Charles Whitmans victims includes people who were killed by Charles Whitman. ... This list of Charles Whitmans victims includes people who were killed by Charles Whitman. ... This list of Charles Whitmans victims includes people who were killed by Charles Whitman. ... This list of Charles Whitmans victims includes people who were killed by Charles Whitman. ... This list of Charles Whitmans victims includes people who were killed by Charles Whitman. ... This list of Charles Whitmans victims includes people who were killed by Charles Whitman. ... This list of Charles Whitmans victims includes people who were killed by Charles Whitman. ... This list of Charles Whitmans victims includes people who were killed by Charles Whitman. ... In medicine, dialysis is a type of renal replacement therapy which is used to provide an artificial replacement for lost kidney function due to renal failure. ...

Wounded

• Allen, John Scott
• Bedford, Billy
• Ehlke, Roland
• Evgenides, Ellen
• Esparza, Avelino
• Foster, F. L.
• Frede, Robert
• Gabour, Mary Frances
• Gabour, Michael
• Garcia, Irma
• Harvey, Nancy

• Heard, Robert
• Hernandez, Alex
• Hohmann, Morris
• Huffman, Devereau
• Kelley, Homar J.
• Khashab, Abdul
• Littlefield, Brenda Gail
• Littlefield, Adrian
• Martinez, Dello
• Martinez, Marina

• Mattson, David
• Ortega, Delores
• Paulos, Janet
• Phillips, Lana
• Rovela, Oscar
• Snowden, Billy
• Stewart, C. A.
• Wilson, Claire (First person shot on campus)
• Wilson, Sandra
• Wheeler, Carla Sue

Aftermath

Extra Houston Chronicle, released within two hours of the shooting.

The event dominated the national news that day.^[19] Image File history File links Whitman-Chronicle. ... Image File history File links Whitman-Chronicle. ... The Houston Chronicle is a daily newspaper in Houston, Texas, United States. ...

Together with the Watts riots of the early 1960s, Charles Whitman's shootings were considered the impetus for establishing SWAT teams and other task forces to deal with situations beyond normal police procedures. It also led President Lyndon B. Johnson to call for stricter gun control policies.^[6] The term Watts Riots refers to a large-scale riot which lasted six days in the Watts neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, in August 1965. ... This article is about Special Weapons And Tactics. ... LBJ redirects here. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Gun politics. ...

After the shooting, the Tower's observation deck was closed for two years, reopening in 1968. However, after several suicides, it was closed again in 1974 and remained closed until September 15, 1999. Access to the tower is now tightly controlled through guided tours that are scheduled by appointment only, during which metal detectors and other security measures are in place. Repaired scars from bullets are still visible on the limestone walls. For other uses, see Suicide (disambiguation). ... is the 258th day of the year (259th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Events of 2008: (EMILY) Me Lesley and MIley are going to China! This article is about the year. ...

Houston McCoy was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder in 1998 by Dr. Mink of the Department of Veterans Affairs in Waco, Texas, who related the diagnosis to the tower shooting three decades earlier. As of 2007, he is living in western Texas.^[20] Ramiro Martinez became a narcotics investigator, a Texas Ranger, and a Justice of the Peace in New Braunfels, Texas. In 2003, Martinez published his memoirs entitled, They Call Me Ranger Ray: From the UT Tower Sniper to Corruption in South Texas.^[16] Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a term for certain severe psychological consequences of exposure to, or confrontation with, stressful events that the person experiences as highly traumatic. ... The United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is a Cabinet department of the United States government responsible for administering programs of veterans benefits for veterans, their families, and survivors. ... For the Branch Davidian siege in Waco, Texas, see Waco Siege. ... Ramiro Ray Martinez (born 1937 in Kent County, Texas) and Houston McCoy are the two Austin Police Department officers credited with killing sniper Charles Whitman at the University of Texas at Austin on August 1, 1966. ... Texas Rangers, a body of law enforcement in the state of Texas which is the oldest law enforcement body in North America with statewide jurisdiction and serves as a State Bureau of Investigation. ... A justice of the peace (JP) is a puisne judicial officer appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. ... Motto: friendship Coordinates: County Comal County Founded 1845 Government  - Mayor Bruce Boyer Area  - City 76. ...

On November 12, 2001, David Gunby died of long-term kidney complications from a wound he received while on the South Mall. He had been born with only one functioning kidney, which was nearly destroyed by Whitman's shot. After the prospect of losing his eyesight, he refused further treatment and died shortly thereafter. The Tarrant County Coroner's report listed the cause of death as "homicide."^[21] is the 316th day of the year (317th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the year. ...

There is still ongoing controversy and speculation that not all the relevant facts about Whitman have been revealed. His surviving victims and witnesses to the shooting continue to write about their recollections of that day and their ongoing physical and psychological trauma.^{[22][23][24][25][26]}

References in popular culture

Time magazine.

Life magazine.

Though many are unaware of the exact details surrounding the event, Whitman's tower spree has remained at the forefront of public consciousness, as evidenced by many references in popular music, literature, film, and TV. Image File history File links WhitmanTimeCover. ... Image File history File links WhitmanTimeCover. ... Image File history File links WhitmanLifeTexasSniper. ... Image File history File links WhitmanLifeTexasSniper. ...

• 1966 — A photograph of Whitman appears on the August 12 cover of Time, highlighting an article entitled, "The Psychotic & Society."
• 1966 — He also appears on the cover of Life for an article entitled, "The Texas Sniper."
• 1968 — The poem "Dream Song 135" in John Berryman's His Toy, His Dream, His Rest references Whitman, the murder of his wife and mother, and the clock tower shootings.
• 1968 — Peter Bogdanovich's film Targets, largely inspired by the Whitman case, is released; it describes a man murdering his mother and wife, then embarking on a sniper spree.
• 1972 — Harry Chapin records an album entitled, Sniper and Other Love Songs. "Sniper," the album's title song, was recorded from both first and third-person points of view, referencing Whitman's issues with his mother and highlighting his isolation.
• 1973 — Texas singer Kinky Friedman records "The Ballad of Charles Whitman," a satirical tune, on the album Sold American. Friedman attended the University of Texas and graduated in 1966, a few months prior to the shooting.
• 1974 -- The movie The Groove Tube and 1977's American Raspberry. Both contain the The Charles Whitman Invitational sketch.
• 1975 — The made-for-TV film The Deadly Tower written by William Douglas Lansford stars Kurt Russell as Whitman. Officer Ramiro Martinez later sued the producers for its portrayal of him and his wife; Officer Houston McCoy also sued. Martinez settled out of court, but McCoy received no settlement.
• 1987 — The movie Full Metal Jacket contains a scene in which a USMC drill instructor tells his recruits that Whitman's phenomenal accuracy was a result of his training as a rifleman in the Marines.
• 1989 - The movie Parenthood alludes to the incident when Steve Martin has a flash-forward, imagining his son as a college student shooting from the roof of a bell tower with a rifle.
• 1991 — In the movie Slacker, filmed on location in Austin, the Old Anarchist (Louis Mackey) proclaims, "Now Charles Whitman, there was a man...!"
• 1992 — Social critic Bill Hicks would allude to the incident in response to Pro-Life protesters by mimicking a manic chant: "Where's the tower? Where's the gun? Where's the tower? Where's the gun? I was adopted by Pro-Life Christians when I was a kid!".
• 1993 — The movie True Romance references Whitman in the hotel scene with the drug collector and Alabama Worley by way of the line, "You know that guy in Texas...."
• 1993 — Macabre includes a song about Whitman called "Sniper in the Sky" on the album Sinister Slaughter.
• 1994 — In the movie Natural Born Killers, Detective Scagnetti tells Warden McClusky that he hunts serial killers because, as a boy in Texas, he was holding his mother's hand when one of the bullets had fatally wounded her.
• 1994 — The same year, a scene on an episode of The Simpsons entitled, "Homer Loves Flanders" features a scene inspired by the massacre.
• 1994 - Teen thriller book, The Midnight Club by Christopher Pike, is a tale of terminally ill teens who tell each other scary stories every night, and one is a story of a frustrated, murdurous sniper who kills strangers from a tower, resembling the act committed by Charles Whitman.
• 1995 - The ending of John Singleton's film Higher Learning was inspired by the Whitman murders.
• 1996 — Whitman features prominently in an episode of American Justice entitled, "Mass Murderer: An American Tragedy."
• 1996 — The movie The Delicate Art of the Rifle features a character based on Charles Whitman and tells of a clock tower shooting from the shooter's point of view.
• 1997 — On the television program Murder One, attorney Arnold Spivak (J. C. MacKenzie) notes the difference between a serial killer and a mass murderer by invoking the Whitman massacre in some level of detail; the reference is prompted by his firm's defense of Clifford Banks, a serial killer played by Pruitt Taylor Vince.
• 1998 — The book Cat & Mouse by James Patterson, contains numerous references to (fictional) killer Gary Soneji, including his fantasies of being with Whitman in the bell tower.
• 1999 - On September 21st, an episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer entitled "Earshot" aired in which a recurring character named Jonathan is discovered in the bell tower of Sunnydale High with a rifle. Though Buffy believes he intends to commit mass murder, he only intends to kill himself.
• 2000 - In his book Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly, Anthony Bourdain makes several joking references to people under severe stress being considered likely to snap and become Whitmanesque clock tower snipers.
• 2001 — Dateline NBC broadcasts a special on the tower shooting in a special called "Catastrophe." The same year, Fox's World's Wildest Police Videos shows a brief clip of the shooting in a segment about the history of SWAT teams.
• 2002 — In the CSI: Miami episode "Kill Zone" Calleigh Duquesne mentions Whitman's 14 kills in reference to the skill of snipers.
• 2002 — Rock band Tomahawk implores the crowd to chant Whitman's name instead of booing during a show with Tool in Austin on July 26.^[27]
• 2006 — In the manga Black Lagoon, Dutch likens Revy's homicidal tendencies to those of "Charles fucking Whitman".
• 2007 — On their album The Tempest, rap duo Insane Clown Posse tell their take of Whitman on the track "The Tower".
• The director's commentary for Texas Chainsaw Massacre mentions that during filming, the crew were approached by a sheriff who objected to their blocking off a road, and informed them he had been the officer shooting at Whitman from the plane.

is the 224th day of the year (225th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... TIME redirects here. ... Philippe Halsmans famous portrait of Marilyn Monroe Life generally refers to two American magazines: A humor and general interest magazine published from 1883 to 1936; A publication created by Time founder Henry Luce in 1936, with a strong emphasis on photojournalism. ... John Allyn Berryman (originally John Allyn Smith) (October 25, 1914 – January 7, 1972) was an American poet, born in McAlester, Oklahoma. ... Peter Bogdanovich Serbian Cyrillic Петар Богдановић (born July 30, 1939) is a Serbian-American film director, writer and actor. ... Targets (1968) is a film written, produced and directed by Peter Bogdanovich. ... Harry Forster Chapin (December 7, 1942 – July 16, 1981) was an American singer, songwriter, and humanitarian. ... Sniper and Other Love Songs is the second studio album by the American singer/songwriter Harry Chapin, released in 1972. ... Kinky Friedman contemplates a question from the audience at a campaign rally in Bastrop, Texas Richard S. Kinky Friedman (born October 31, 1944) is an American singer, songwriter, novelist, humorist, politician and former columnist for Texas Monthly. ... The Groove Tube (1974), written and produced by Ken Shapiro was a low-budget comedy film. ... Kurt Vogel Russell (born March 17, 1951) is an American actor. ... For the type of ammunition, see Full metal jacket bullet. ... The United States Marine Corps (USMC) is a branch of the United States military responsible for providing force projection from the sea,[1] using the mobility of the U.S. Navy to rapidly deliver combined-arms task forces and is one of seven uniformed services. ... This does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... This article is about the film Parenthood. ... For other uses, see Steve Martin (disambiguation). ... Flash Forward was an American television series produced in Canada for pre-teens and teenagers which aired on both the Disney Channel and ABC during the mid-1990s. ... Slacker (1991) is an American independent film directed by Richard Linklater. ... William Melvin Bill Hicks (December 16, 1961 – February 26, 1994) was an American stand-up comedian. ... This article is about the social movement. ... True Romance is an American motion picture released in 1993, directed by Tony Scott and written by Quentin Tarantino and Roger Avary. ... Macabre are a death metal band from the USA. They were formed in 1985 in Chicago, Illinois, and ever since have never had a line-up change. ... Sinister Slaughter is the second full-length album by American heavy metal band Macabre and was released in 1993 by Nuclear Blast Records. ... For the song, see Natural Born Killaz. ... Simpsons redirects here. ... Homer Loves Flanders is the sixteenth episode from the fifth season of The Simpsons. ... This article is about Christopher Pike, the Star Trek character. ... For other uses, see Higher Learning (disambiguation). ... American Justice is an hour-long criminal justice program on the cable channel A&E Network, hosted by Bill Kurtis. ... This 1996 movie features a character based on Charles Whitman and tells of a clock tower shooting from the shooters point-of-view. ... The major cast of Murder One Murder One was a television series first aired on the ABC network in the United States in 1995. ... J. C. MacKenzie is a Canadian actor best known for his role as Normal in Dark Angel (2000-2002). ... Clifford Banks is a fictional serial killer who was introduced in 1997 during the second season of the television program Murder One. ... Pruitt Taylor Vince (born July 5, 1960) is an award-winning American character actor who has made many appearances in film and television. ... This article or section contains a plot summary that is overly long or excessively detailed compared to the rest of the article. ... For other people named James Patterson, see James Patterson (disambiguation) James B. Patterson (born March 22, 1947) is an award-winning American author. ... For other uses, see Buffy the Vampire Slayer (disambiguation). ... Kitchen Confidential is a book written by American chef Anthony Bourdain in 2000. ... Anthony Michael Tony Bourdain (born June 25, 1956) is an American author and chef. ... Dateline NBC, or Dateline, is a U.S. weekly television newsmagazine broadcast by NBC similar to ABCs 20/20 or CBSs 60 Minutes. ... This article does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... This article is about Special Weapons And Tactics. ... Tomahawk is an experimental alternative metal/alternative rock supergroup from the United States. ... Tool is an American rock band that was formed in 1990 in Los Angeles, California. ... is the 207th day of the year (208th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the comics created in Japan. ... For the horror movie, see Creature from the Black Lagoon. ... Insane Clown Posse (commonly known as ICP) is an American rap duo originally from Wayne, Michigan but formed in the neighborhood of Delray. ... The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is a low-budget horror film, made in 1974 by director Tobe Hooper and starring Marilyn Burns, Gunnar Hansen, Edwin Neal, Allen Danzinger, Paul A. Partain, and Jim Siedow. ...

References

The New York Times is a daily newspaper published in New York City and distributed internationally. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 103rd day of the year (104th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 312th day of the year (313th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The Austin Chronicle is an alternative weekly newspaper published every Thursday in Austin, Texas, United States. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 120th day of the year (121st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 103rd day of the year (104th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... (Clockwise from upper left) Time magazine covers from May 7, 1945; July 25, 1969; December 31, 1999; September 14, 2001; and April 21, 2003. ... For the Canadian channel, see CourtTV Canada The Courtroom Television Network, more commonly known as Court TV, is an American cable television network owned by Time Warner that launched on July 1, 1991. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 341st day of the year (342nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 105th day of the year (106th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 148th day of the year (149th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Find A Grave is an online database of seventeen million cemeteries and burial records. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 353rd day of the year (354th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The Daily Texan is the student newspaper of The University of Texas at Austin. ... is the 101st day of the year (102nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 344th day of the year (345th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 343rd day of the year (344th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the year. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 105th day of the year (106th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The Daily Texan is the student newspaper of The University of Texas at Austin. ... Texas Monthly is a monthly American magazine published in Austin, Texas. ... is the 208th day of the year (209th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also see: 2002 (number). ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 90th day of the year (91st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

Further reading

• Clarke, James W. (1990). On Being Mad or Merely Angry: John W. Hinckley, Jr. and Other Dangerous People. Princeton University Press. ISBN 0691078521
• Douglas, John; Olshaker, Mark (1999). The Anatomy of Motive. Scribner. ISBN 0-7567-5292-2. 
• Lavergne, Gary M. (1997). A Sniper in the Tower. University of North Texas Press. ISBN 1-57441-029-6. 
• Levin, Jack; Fox, James Alan (1985). Mass Murder: America's Growing Menace. New York: Plenum Press. ISBN 0-306-41943-2. 
• Martinez, Ramiro (2005). They Call Me Ranger Ray: From the UT Tower Sniper to Corruption in South Texas. New Braunfels: Rio Bravo Publishing. ISBN 0976016206. 
• O'Brien, Bill (2000). Agents of Mayhem. Auckland: Bateman, Ltd.. ISBN 1-86953-423-9. 
• Rich, Frank. "The Long Shadow of the Texas Sniper", New York Times, September 29, 1999. 
• Tobias, Ronald (1981). They Shoot to Kill: A Psycho-History of Criminal Sniping. Boulder, Colorado: Paladin Press. ISBN 0-87364-207-4. 

The New York Times is an internationally known daily newspaper published in New York City and distributed in the United States and many other nations worldwide. ... is the 272nd day of the year (273rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Events of 2008: (EMILY) Me Lesley and MIley are going to China! This article is about the year. ...

External links

• Charles Whitman: The Texas Tower Sniper from the Court TV Crime Library. circa 2000
• Charles Whitman from the Handbook of Texas Online
• The Whitman Archives of the Austin Statesman
• Charles Whitman Research Guide from the Austin History Center
• [1]Houston McCoy interview on Fox7 News Austin 1998