The Infamous Sniper of the University of Texas: Charles Whitman

On August 1, 1966, a tragic event shook the campus of the University of Texas in Austin when sniper Charles Whitman went on a shooting spree, leaving eight students and one police officer dead. The massacre began around 11:48 am, with Whitman firing from the observation deck of the university's clock tower. The victims included a young woman and her two children, who were taking shelter outside the door where the sniper was located.

The first officer to respond was Ramson Martinez, who was off-duty at the time but quickly donned his uniform and rushed to the scene. He was joined by other officers, including Georg McCoy, who shot Whitman twice with a shotgun after finding him hiding behind a wall. The snipers' lair yielded a shocking array of weapons, including a Luger pistol, a 357-magnum pistol, a large Bowie knife, and several rifles.

As the police entered the tower through an underground tunnel, they found four bodies strewn on the stairs. Whitman seemed to have an unlimited supply of weapons and ammunition, making it difficult for law enforcement to apprehend him quickly. It wasn't until Martinez emptied his gun at the sniper that Whitman collapsed, and then McCoy finished him off with two more shotgun blasts.

The investigation revealed that Whitman had been responsible for the murder of his wife, Kathleen, 23, who was found stabbed to death in their apartment. The gruesome discovery only added to the horror of the day's events.

In the aftermath of the tragedy, the University of Texas implemented new security measures, including the construction of a fence around the clock tower and increased police presence on campus. Charles Whitman's actions will forever be etched in the annals of American history as a senseless act of violence that left a lasting impact on the university and its community.

Charles whitman sniper