Tower
 

There was a show on Public TV tonight about the mass shooting in Texas from the tower. It has lots of interviews with people actually involved in the incdient along with cartoon characterizations of things that happened which were not captured on film.

It is very worthwhile and well done.

It does not make any political points on the merits or debits of gun ownership.

Apparently a lot of folks came out of the surrounding town with their hunting rifles. The police really did not have any snipers and eventually a handful of officers went up in the tower and took out the gunman with pistols and shotguns.

The people involved in it all were so very very genuine and brave.

I also watched and enjoyed the documentary. I am from Austin, and although I wasn't born in 1966, my mom was a student at the university at that time. She was not on campus when the shootings occurred but has told me on numerous occasions how no one really talked about the incident after it happened, so I found it interesting that the same sentiment was echoed by many of the people interviewed for the film.

I believe the animation technique that was used is called rotoscoping, and involves artists painting over actual filmed characters and places. Richard Linklater used it in a film called "Waking Life" about 15 years ago, which is also an interesting, albeit pretty slow-paced, movie.

The rotoscoping was effective in showing people talking as an older person but showing them as a younger cartoon version of themselves.

The people who helped under fire were extraordinary in their courage. some had military experience but some (I believe) had none, just a sense of responsibility to do something to help.

Yes, their courageousness amazed me, especially the young lady (Rita?) who was so kind to the injured pregnant woman. I'd like to think I'd be one of the ones who helped others, but I know it must have been terribly hard to leave a place of relative safety and become a target...

Here is a link to the Wiki listing: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Texas_Tower_Shooting

I wanted to read about the brave civilian who helped. His name was Crum and he was a retired tail gunner in the air force. I suspected he was a retired military man.

Whitman, an ex marine, was a pretty good shot with the sniper rifle. I can imagine that shooting from such a tall place was not easy. He must have known how to adjust his sights (it had a scope) as he immediately began to make precise shots.

He killed one fellow at 500 yards and hit another non fatally at I believe it was 1500 yards, nearly a mile away.

His autopsy revealed a small tumor in his brain which may have caused him to go off.

The incident changed how police departments were equipped going forward. Portable radios, vests and sniper capabilities became standard parts of police departments not long after this incident.

the tower was limited in its access and eventually closed to the public.