View Full Version : University of Texas Tower
brianksain
12-26-2007, 14:51
Helped teach an Advanced LE sniper class in Austin, TX. a few weeks back.
We were able to arrange for the entire class to tour the observation deck of the UT Tower where Charles Whitman did his thing.
Pretty incredible tour.
It was closed to the public for years.
Never been done by a group of LE snipers before (to my knowledge).
Took along a LRF and took a hundred pics.
Waaay cool up there ... but somewhat hallowed ground.
MANY bullet strikes still left in the decorative masonry that could not repaired.
Pretty fascinating to walk up those same stairs the killer, survivors and police did.
Due to the fact that the cops were outgunned (as usual) ... a radio DJ actually got on the air and told everyone with a rifle to bring it to the tower.
If you have never been to Austin ... that is Texas Hill Country deer hunting heaven ... some guy on the radio tells everyone to "Bring a rifle to a get together" ... in Tejas ... and it is truly game on.:cool:
Once in a lifetime gig.
Just thought I'd share.
Merry Christmas QPs.
You guys are my heroes.
Brian,
I believe that I speak for many enthusiastic Longhorns on this site when I say...
this thread is useless without pics! :D
brianksain
12-26-2007, 16:09
Brian,
I believe that I speak for many enthusiastic Longhorns on this site when I say...
this thread is useless without pics! :D
Bro ... my Pic Posting Fu on this site is weak.
I have tried and blown it a few times ... always leaving a bandwith mess for TS to clean up. Fortunately he smiles on my ignorance and lets me hang out anyway.
May try it again.
bk
CosaNostraUSMC
12-26-2007, 17:41
How about that spot where, Lee Harvey Oswald, (single handedly:rolleyes:) made that magic shot.
Team Sergeant
12-26-2007, 19:48
Bro ... my Pic Posting Fu on this site is weak.
I have tried and blown it a few times ... always leaving a bandwith mess for TS to clean up. Fortunately he smiles on my ignorance and lets me hang out anyway.
May try it again.
bk
Brian,
Send them to me and I'll post them...;)
jd@professionalsoldiers.com
TS
I tip my hat to Ramiro Martinez..
Helped teach an Advanced LE sniper class in Austin, TX. a few weeks back.
We were able to arrange for the entire class to tour the observation deck of the UT Tower where Charles Whitman did his thing.
Pretty incredible tour.
It was closed to the public for years.
Never been done by a group of LE snipers before (to my knowledge).
.
born and raised in austin and have never been on the tower. Was this a once time deal for the trainees or is the tower open to the public again? Would love to take my family to see a lil side of my history while on leave before the Q course
brianksain
12-26-2007, 23:27
I believe the tours are weekends only but back open to the public.
You will have to check pal.
They made an exception for us in the middle of the week under the circumstances (all cop snipers - traveling back home on the weekend after a tough week).
The tower was closed primarily due to the fact that people were often committing suicide off the thing ... launching themselves into the snack area awnings below.
Now there is a stainless steel cage all the way around to prevent this.
There is a lot to the way that thing ended that has never been told. We were dumbfounded.
Like always, it is not like the media, magazines and books portray.
From the new accounts ... Houston McCoy took the shot that put Whitman down for good.
I can't (won't) elaborate as I was not there.
brianksain
12-26-2007, 23:33
Pics added below.
bk
brianksain
01-08-2008, 10:44
http://i8.tinypic.com/6yc0j0p.jpg
Above is the spot Austin Patrolman Billy Speed was killed. He was eating lunch on campus when the shots rang out and he went to investigate.
http://i8.tinypic.com/8ektnqs.jpg
Here is the last thing Billy Speed saw before Whitman shot him through the chest with a 6mm Remington 700. Trees obscure the view now. It was clear then.
http://i12.tinypic.com/7wfxmp3.jpg
I was able to locate Billy Speed's Academy photo in the training academy. He is second from left. He had been a cop less than a year.
http://i19.tinypic.com/8fbajhv.jpg
There is a pretty famous picture of a woman hiding this flagpole base from the day. The concrete was supposedly over one hundred degrees. One of the only truly safe places in the immediate vicinity to hide.
http://i11.tinypic.com/6pqc8iv.jpg
Here it is.
http://i9.tinypic.com/7wjrak2.jpg
Above close up of the flag pole.
http://i5.tinypic.com/82lz580.jpg
The stairwell leading up to the tower deck.
http://i1.tinypic.com/6ugubzc.jpg
Bullet hole in the masonry.
http://i10.tinypic.com/82llxde.jpg
Repaired bullet holes.
http://i3.tinypic.com/6qc24uo.jpg
More bullet holes.
http://i17.tinypic.com/814vsar.jpg
One of the rain spouts where Whitman made his longest shot.
http://i8.tinypic.com/6wy1vmx.jpg
Close up of same. It would have been impossible to get a rifle shot into Whitman from the ground when he was firing from this angle.
http://i8.tinypic.com/71pswu0.jpg
They were giving him hell from the ground. The officers had to wave a white T-shirt to let those on the ground know that all was secure to keep them from being fired upon by the good citizens of the Great State of Texas.:cool:
http://i7.tinypic.com/6nu34sw.jpg
This is the view Houston McCoy and Ray Martinez would have had when they opened the door and entered the observation deck. Whitman was killed in this corner. The cage has been added since the deck was re-opened.
SIDE NOTE: Texas Senator Kay Bailey Hutchinson was in law school and on campus the day this ocurred.
The Reaper
01-08-2008, 11:28
Helluva view. No wonder he was able to shoot as long as he did.
Hard to counter that today. Maybe a helicopter with a long gunner.
We would probably use a 120mm main gun or a chopper with a mini-gun or a missile.
Good stuff, thanks for sharing. I liked the Jeff Davis statue, BTW.:D
TR
Good stuff, thanks for sharing. I liked the Jeff Davis statue, BTW.:D
TR
Sir, every statue on campus was erected facing South. :D
brianksain
01-08-2008, 13:17
Jimmy Essex pulled the same stunt in New Orleans in 1974.
Same issues.
A Terrible Thunder by Peter Hernon is the definitive work on it.
They DID utilize a helicopter to get him.
Hotel was a Howard Johnsons then.
Now a Holiday Inn with a big claironet painted on it.
Brian, thanks for the pics! Those last few really put it in a new perpsective for me.
brianksain
01-08-2008, 13:27
Whitman was no sniper ... but made some decent shots.
Did most of his damage early on with the 6mm.
Shot one kid off the back of a bicycle at 400 plus.
Bastard.
Lots of people thought they had cover but did not. He could see right down on top of them.
The ballister where Speed was shot used to have bullet holes all over the top rail.
They have been refinished to the point where you cannot see they were ever there. Was on campus in '95 and they were plainly visible.
It is not hard to envision Whitman holding dead on Speed and seeing his uncompensated bullet strikes in the concrete rail above Speed's location.
Whitman may have realized his error from the concrete splash and held low to get Speed ...
Speculative on my part.
Tower deck is 250 or so feet up.
Pretty steep angle to where Speed was shot.
No time to dope it all out. Classes were in session.
The Reaper
01-08-2008, 13:50
That was what struck me about the girl taking cover.
Only effective if you knew which direction the shots were coming from.
SA saves the day. Again.
TR
brianksain
01-08-2008, 13:59
Yeah, the dead guy laying in the bushes in front of her is what we in police work call a clue.
Nothing sharpens SA like watching someone get shot right in front of you.
Tends to bring it all right into focus ... in my experience. lol
But after 20 years in the hood ... maybe I am a little jaded.
http://bizarrerecords.blogspot.com/2006/07/rare-charles-whitman-tower-shooting.html
The above is a link to live footage of the day.