Chris Angel Murphy

Charles Whitman Terrorized the University of Texas in 1966

After today’s shooting at the University of Texas in Austin, we are reminded of other school shootings that have taken place over the years. It’s a problem faced by every generation, it seems.

This isn’t the first time that UT in Austin, Texas has faced a crisis like this. Back in 1966, a shooter by the name of Charles Whitman terrified the University of Texas as well.

Charles Whitman was only 25 at the time. He was an ex-Marine, who went on a shooting rampage on the University of Texas at Austin campus. First Whitman killed his wife and mother, then proceeded to go to the University’s tower which was an observation deck on the 29th floor. He killed three people in the tower, than killed ten more from atop the tower. Another person died a week later from the gun shot wound.

Whitman was eventually shot and killed by an Austin, TX police officer. All in all he managed to kill 14 people and wound 32.

Luckily today’s shooting at the UT campus in Austin did not take anyone’s lives except for that of the gunman himself. Something needs to be done to help prevent attacks like these in the future.