96 Minutes Behind the Scope

America has changed greatly over the last few decades in the way it reacts to certain crimes and tragedies. Charles Joseph Whitman was one of the first people to commit the now not-so-uncommon “killing spree.” Americans at the time didn’t know how to react other than being shocked and horrified. Today when we hear about similar incidents they will be in the news for a few days then disappear behind the next big headline. People will be saddened of course, but not necessarily shocked. It is has almost become accepted that this is now a common way for people to commit murder. Charles Whitman’s mass murder had a huge impact on the entire nation and introduced a new and common method of killing for the second half of the century.

On August 1st, 1966 Whitman entered the 27-story bell tower at the University of Texas with an arsenal of weapons which he pulled behind him on a two-wheeled dolly. No one suspected him of the actions he was about to take. He appeared to be a simple janitor or maintenance worker in his blue coveralls. His first victim of the day, Edna Townsley, was the receptionist working on the observation deck for the morning. Whitman hit her over the head with a hard object, apparently the butt of one of the rifles, and knocked her unconscious (Macleod 5). She would be dead within a few hours. After partially concealing Edna’s body a man and woman entered the receptionist area after viewing the observation deck. Whitman let them get into the elevator and exit to safety without any confrontation. Charles barricaded himself on the observation deck by blocking the door with a desk. A group of six people arrived at the blocked door and two pushed the desk to see what was happening. Charles fired

a shotgun numerous times at the group killing his second and third victims of the day and wounding two others.

Throughout the tower alarms were sounding and people became aware of the danger above them. Whitman blocked the door leading outside to the observation deck with his dolly and unpacked his weapons and supplies. He situated himself and began firing at all the people on the campus and in the city below. The first shots from his rifle occurred at 11:48 A.M. The first shot wounded the pregnant 18 year-old Claire Wilson and killed her unborn child (Macleod 6). The second shot killed her fiancйe that was standing beside her. A classmate of theirs had been walking near them and described the event.

The sound we heard next is a sound I will never forget. The thud of a high-powered bullet crashing into flesh and bone. Then the report of the rifle. Again the thump a bullet into a human body. Again the sound of the rifle. Steve and I glanced at the couple on the ground and then sprinted into the hedges and flowers to our right (Wroten).

Whitman proceeded with his firing spree killing a physics professor that was visiting the university, a doctoral student, a Peace Corps trainee, a seventeen year-old girl, and numerous other people, some of who were attending to the already injured. Whitman’s position and vantage point made it difficult for anyone to gun him down from outside the tower. That didn’t keep citizens from trying on their own to end Whitman’s rampage.

After all the bizarre events of the last few minutes it didn’t seem strange to me when I peeked around the office doorway to see one professor shooting a deer rifle at the top of the tower while the other fed him ammunition ….. Small puffs of smoke were coming from the rifle of the sniper on the observation deck. The large glass faced clock above the observation deck was shattered from others shooting back at him (Wroten).

No one managed to hit Whitman from outside of the tower, yet Charles was able to pick off people that had only a few inches of their body exposed or that peaked around barriers for only a moment. He was definitely a skilled marksman. The entire city of Austin soon heard news of what was happening, either from the radio or the live footage shown on T.V. A police officer in a plane was able to report that there was only one person firing from the tower. Soon there were several people converging on Whitman’s position on the 27th floor. Two police officers were crawling towards Charles on the observation deck while two others stood guard at the door. As the officers turned the corner and saw Whitman they began firing. Charles attempted to turn around to return fire but was unable to do so quickly enough. Charles Whitman was killed at 1:24 P.M.(Macleod 6). He had killed 16 people and wounded 31 others.

On July 31st, the day before the killings from the tower, Charles had taken his first action towards his plan. He purchased a knife, binoculars, and some canned meat and also began typing a letter to explain his upcoming actions. Charles went