Was Charles Whitman the first shooter?

AUSTIN, Texas — Before Virginia Tech and Columbine, Sandy Hook, Aurora and Orlando, there was the University of Texas tower shooting. It was shortly before noon on a sweltering Monday morning, Aug. read more

The first modern mass shooter in the United States was not Charles Whitman, but Howard Unruh. Unruh was a World War II veteran who went mad due to a combination of schizophrenia and his war experiences. read more

Whitman's murder spree was a major inspiration for Peter Bogdanovich when he wrote and directed his first movie, Targets (1968). Harry Chapin 1972 song"Sniper" describes Whitman's psychological issues. Kinky Friedman's song,"The Ballad of Charles Whitman," from the 1973 album Sold American, offers a satirical look at the man and the incident. read more

Charles Whitman was a former Marine sharpshooter who, in 1966, targeted and killed random civilians at the University of Texas before being stopped by police. Synopsis Born on June 24, 1941, in Lake Worth, Florida, Charles Whitman served as a Marine before enrolling in the University of Texas, eventually studying architecture. read more