On this day, Aug. 1, in 1966, a University of Texas student climbed to the top of the 29-floor school administrative building and shot 14 people to death and wounded 32 others. The massacre began when 25-year-old Charles Whitman killed his wife and mother at home. He left notes saying he did not understand his behavior, and requested that any insurance money be donated to a mental health foundation to prevent further tragedies.
Whitman ascended the tower, where he had a clear view of the campus and began shooting for several hours. Civilians shot back.
Whitman was killed by police who stormed the top deck. The rampage was the deadliest campus killing spree in U.S. history until the Virginia Tech massacre of 2007.
-Scott McCabe
