Shooting on UT Campus

[BaseballUmp]

Police on scene of shooting on UT campus
Tuesday, September 28, 2010, 08:32 AM

UT police say an active shooting situation is taking place on campus. Officials believe they have the suspect contained.

Austin Police Chief Art Acevedo confirmed that the shooter is dead from what appears to be self-inflicted gunshot wound. Police are looking for an additional suspect, and therefore UT continues to be locked down, and people are urged to stay out of the area.

“I’m driving there right now trying to get there,” university spokeswoman Rhonda Weldon said.

“The first report I got was that there was an armed suspect in the Perry-Casteneda library. Now I’m told by campus security that the individual has shot himself on the sixth but I’m not there yet so I can’t confirm that.”

Alicia Dietrich, public affairs assistant with the Harry Ransom Center, which is down the street from the library, said she heard the shots as she was parking her bike.

“I didn’t even know for sure that it was gunshots,” Dietrich said at 8:47 a.m. “The sirens went off about five to ten minutes ago. The building has been locked down and I don’t think they’re letting anybody in or out.”

A police officer at Martin Luther King Jr. Drive and Speedway told a group of students who asked if they could go into campus: “There’s been a shooting and right now more people may be involved. You’re taking your safety into your own hands if you head anywhere in this area.”

Kevin Olsen, a graduate student at the University of Texas, said he was walking by the Dobie dorm about 8:15 a.m. when he heard about eight to 10 shots in short bursts. He said other people walking to class also heard shots and were looking around “kind of in awe.”

A UT facilities worker told KLBJ-AM that he heard at least 10 gunshots but saw nobody get hit.

Link (http://www.statesman.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/austin/blotter/entries/2010/09/28/police_on_scene_of_shooting_on.html?cxntfid=blogs_ the_blotter)

[ccmom]

Praying....:(

[Old Tiger]

one of our 3ADL members is on campus and so are some of my friends and they have being asked to stay in class and its locked down.

[IrishTex]

Aggie_Athletics Aggie Athletics
Our thoughts and prayers go out to our friends and family at the University of Texas this morning.

Twitter post from A&M

[BullsFan]

Scary scary. Praying that the only casualty is the gunman.

[hsfootballfan]

My daughter is on lockdown in her dorm across the street from the Perry Castaneda Library where the gunman shot himself. Apparently there is another suspect on campus and swat is searching for him. She says there is a tank on campus because of reports of "more than a gun is involved." I have no idea what that means and frankly don't want to even think about it. The tower siren keeps going off telling everyone to remain inside with the doors locked. please keep the prayers coming for everyone's safety.

[44INAROW]

Originally posted by hsfootballfan
My daughter is on lockdown in her dorm across the street from the Perry Castaneda Library where the gunman shot himself. Apparently there is another suspect on campus and swat is searching for him. She says there is a tank on campus because of reports of "more than a gun is involved." I have no idea what that means and frankly don't want to even think about it. The tower siren keeps going off telling everyone to remain inside with the doors locked. please keep the prayers coming for everyone's safety.

yikes. I bet the text messages are going non-stop.. are you'll able to communicate with her?

[OldBison75]

My prayers are going out to everyone in the Austin area and the University Campus in particular.

Facebook is going crazy with information and students from other Universities are pouring out prayers for thier fellow students. Just in my little group of friends, I have seen prayers from TAMU, SFA, Sam Houston, Baylor, and Lamar.

[hsfootballfan]

Originally posted by 44INAROW
yikes. I bet the text messages are going non-stop.. are you'll able to communicate with her?

She has been texting me and updating on facebook but she says the internet keeps going off and on because of the number of people on it right now. UT shut off the TVs so they can't watch any news reports so they are online trying to find out info in addition to the texts the university sends them.

[AP Panther Fan]

Originally posted by hsfootballfan
UT shut off the TVs so they can't watch any news reports so they are online trying to find out info in addition to the texts the university sends them.

Interesting. I wouldn't have thought of that and not sure if I agree.

Keeping your daughter and the many others in my thoughts and prayers.

[BullsFan]

Originally posted by AP Panther Fan
Interesting. I wouldn't have thought of that and not sure if I agree.



Turning off the tvs is probably to keep any possible additional gunmen from knowing police movement or any other useful information.

[hsfootballfan]

Thanks for the prayers, guys!

Apparently UT didn't want the students to get any more panicked than they already are by an over-zealous media, but my daughter is even more freaked out because she feels so clueless about the whole thing. Seems like I'd rather get info from the news reports instead of facebook postings.


Apparently there are 8 SWAT teams on campus and explosive-sniffing dogs as a precaution only. Reportedly the first gunman was wearing a black suit, black tie, a ski mask, and had an AK-47, and was firing random shots while walking into the library. I'm only getting snippets of info because communication has been sporadic, plus the info she's providing is coming from where ever and whoever she can get it from. Apparently they are opening up the north side of campus, but the area surrounding where the incident took place will remain on lockdown until a thorough sweep of the area can take place. The rumors of a second suspect may be the result of inconsistent descriptions of the first suspect.

[hsfootballfan]

Originally posted by BullsFan
Turning off the tvs is probably to keep any possible additional gunmen from knowing police movement or any other useful information.

Good point. Hadn't thought of that, but my thinking isn't really too clear right now!

[BaseballUmp]

My friend (a fellow dl member) just updated his FB saying they just got the all clear message

[BaseballUmp]

Originally posted by BaseballUmp
My friend (a fellow dl member) just updated his FB saying they just got the all clear message
Or not

[BaseballUmp]

They are slowly opening up some of the buildings for people to leave now.
A lot of these witness reports have been pretty scary.

[hsfootballfan]

Latest text from daughter says the people in the library building were released from the building but need to head immediately & directly to the north part of campus. Residents in her dorm (Jester) are allowed to go to the eating places in the dorm but are not to leave the building.

[BullsFan]

Originally posted by hsfootballfan
Apparently UT didn't want the students to get any more panicked than they already are by an over-zealous media, but my daughter is even more freaked out because she feels so clueless about the whole thing. Seems like I'd rather get info from the news reports instead of facebook postings.


I absolutely would be more freaked out by a media blackout than by watching news reports. I think sometimes the imagination can get away with you. I guess I can see what UT was trying to accomplish.

People here are pretty freaked out too. There are apparently a lot of people around who still remember the gunman in the bell tower.

[AP Panther Fan]

Originally posted by BullsFan
I absolutely would be more freaked out by a media blackout than by watching news reports. I think sometimes the imagination can get away with you.

Me too...as an adult, it would panic me more.

[slpybear the bullfan]

Originally posted by BullsFan
I absolutely would be more freaked out by a media blackout than by watching news reports. I think sometimes the imagination can get away with you. I guess I can see what UT was trying to accomplish.

People here are pretty freaked out too. There are apparently a lot of people around who still remember the gunman in the bell tower.

Texas Monthly did a story on the bell tower shooting. Very, very good read.

[Old Tiger]

My friend said the only part that freaked him out is when the bus dropped him off and did not give instructions about what to do.

[95mustang]

Originally posted by slpybear the bullfan
Texas Monthly did a story on the bell tower shooting. Very, very good read.

I had to write a research paper last year over the psychology of mass murderers and used Witman as one of my subjects in the report.

[slpybear the bullfan]

Originally posted by 95mustang
I had to write a research paper last year over the psychology of mass murderers and used Witman as one of my subjects in the report.

What I remember most about the story was reading about the local citizens going and getting rifles, running back, and taking potshots at Witman. Crazy.

[Caldwell_Raider]

Originally posted by slpybear the bullfan
What I remember most about the story was reading about the local citizens going and getting rifles, running back, and taking potshots at Witman. Crazy.

wow really, I didn't know that? Crazy crazy stuff...

[LH Panther Mom]

Originally posted by hsfootballfan
Thanks for the prayers, guys!

Apparently UT didn't want the students to get any more panicked than they already are by an over-zealous media, but my daughter is even more freaked out because she feels so clueless about the whole thing. Seems like I'd rather get info from the news reports instead of facebook postings.


Apparently there are 8 SWAT teams on campus and explosive-sniffing dogs as a precaution only. Reportedly the first gunman was wearing a black suit, black tie, a ski mask, and had an AK-47, and was firing random shots while walking into the library. I'm only getting snippets of info because communication has been sporadic, plus the info she's providing is coming from where ever and whoever she can get it from. Apparently they are opening up the north side of campus, but the area surrounding where the incident took place will remain on lockdown until a thorough sweep of the area can take place. The rumors of a second suspect may be the result of inconsistent descriptions of the first suspect.
On the way home from work, I was listening to KLBJ-AM. Jeff Ward had the Chiefs of APD and UTPD on at the same time. And they did determine that the second suspect possibility came from the inconsistent descriptions. Some of the reports were insane. I can't imagine what would cause someone to do such as he did.

[hsfootballfan]

Originally posted by LH Panther Mom
On the way home from work, I was listening to KLBJ-AM. Jeff Ward had the Chiefs of APD and UTPD on at the same time. And they did determine that the second suspect possibility came from the inconsistent descriptions. Some of the reports were insane. I can't imagine what would cause someone to do such as he did.

We may never know why he did what he did. His family is in my prayers. I can't imagine what they must be going through. Losing someone you love in such a senseless manner is terrible enough, but at least they don't have the added burden of knowing he took innocent lives with him. It sounded like he had the opportunity to target others but didn't. God was watching out for a lot of people today.

[IrishTex]

According to Facebook...

SWMustang is saying the shooter lived right across the street from his mom...

:eek:

[Aesculus gilmus]

I can't help it. My first thought when I heard about this yesterday morning was that it was a disgruntled Longhorns fan.

And this is what happens when you abandon the "shotgun." Someone else picks it up and wreaks havoc.